Bomb
by Pen to Paper Writer
Summary: A serial Bomber is loose in NYC. Kate and her team meet with a new addition to their team. Meet Lt. Richard Castle. An active member with the NYPD's Bomb Disposal Unit. He is teamed with the homicide detectives from the 12th precinct to stop this mad man. But what they don't know is that Rick has a tortured past. This case will either ruin him or save him. Will Kate fall for him?
1. Chapter 1

**Bomb**

Kate Beckett sat in her car at yet another crime scene and took another deep cleansing breath, it was going to take a lot of her strength and resolve for her to make it through the task that she now faced. She was a homicide detective. She has to wonder why her Captain had assigned her and her team specifically to this case. While there had been murders involved, there was the plain fact that it was more of a mass murder situation than one single murder. There was a serial bomber targeting almost anything and everything. His or her targets were indifferent. He or she struck at the common people in their everyday walks of life and the super-rich as well. Whoever this was had no specific group or person in mind when they struck.

Here is where she sat. Trying to collect her thoughts and get her head straight. There was a small part of her that thought that this case was too much for her due to the amount of death and destruction she noticed from the damaged building across from her car. She was used to just one victim, nice and neat. Follow the leads and get the facts thus getting her man. This was all new territory for her. The only thing she knew about any bomb was that they made an extremely loud noise and obvious destruction followed. As her team pulls up behind her car she spots them in the rear view mirror taking her thoughts back to the present.

She quickly gets out of her car and secures it. The boys do the same and they meet between their parked cars.

"Beckett, is it safe to enter the building?"

"Yeah Ryan, the ESU team had just left. They said that while there is a hole blown in the first and second floors structurally we can enter." Ryan and Espo just nodded solemnly.

They turn to leave and Kate tells them to hold up. They are still waiting for the fourth member of their team. They both look at her with a concerned look on their faces. They both think who could be this unnamed extra member. The thought of bringing someone else onto their team leaves them surprised.

"Guys don't look at me like that. These are orders from 1PP. I have no control over who they are assigning me to my team on this one. But I will be letting him know that I am the one in charge here!"

Kate was facing the boys when she made that comment. From where she was standing she could not see or hear the man that walked up behind her and stop short hearing her last admission. Ryan and Espo just looked down at their feet when they noticed the man walk up behind Beckett. She gave them a look and wondered what the hell was with them. As they looked back up to her she had realized that they were looking at something beyond her rather than at her and then a chill ran up and down her spine.

Rick Castle's face forced a slight grin as he heard her say who exactly was in charge of this operation. Now, Rick was an easy-going member of the A&E (Arson & Explosive) unit. It took a lot to get him shocked. But with the admission he was just privy to he wanted to tease her just for a little. Folding his arms in front of his chest he made the following statement directed solely at her.

"Detective, while I may have been assigned to you and your team by the powers at 1PP, I would like to get just one little fact straight here. I am the expert here and without me you'd be spinning your wheels with this investigation. You are an expert with what you do to solve a single homicide, and that's all fine and well, but I'm the expert on what exactly has happened here today right there in that building across the street."

Ryan and Espo look past Beckett once again as she still faces them and they see that this person means business. They actually respect him a little more for calling Beckett out on her comment. They silently nod towards him and that's when Kate turns slowly around. As she does she finds that while she is in 4" stiletto heels, this person towers above her. He must stand somewhere around 6' 5". He is dressed in 5.11 tactical gear from his 8" high black boots to his blue cargo pants and short sleeved shirt. As she turned to fully face him she noticed two things. He has lieutenants bars adorning his collar ends and he had the most beautiful blue eyes she has ever seen in her life. She is standing less than 6" from his face and his grin turns into a full smile as he sees her standing in front of him. Her mouth opens to say something, rethinks it and then closes it just as quickly.

She backs up a step and extends her hand in a formal greeting. He is hesitant at first still trying to let the tease go on for just a little longer.

"Hello, I'm Detective Beckett. And these two men are Detectives Esposito and Ryan. We are from the 12th precinct homicide division." Kate says trying to be nice and make up for her earlier comment.

Rick just stares at her outstretched arm and decides that the teasing has gone on long enough. He is a professional after all. He gently takes her hand and grips it lightly giving her an honest shake. He then does the same gesture with the two other detectives.

"Detectives, I am Lieutenant Richard Castle. I am the second in command at the Strategic Response Group. Formerly known as the NYPD Bomb disposal unit or more affectionately known as the bomb squad."

Kate nods her head as do Ryan and Espo. Rick looks at the building across the street. There was a lot of work to be done and Rick looked back to the new members of the team.

"While we still have some daylight to work with, I think that it would be a good idea to start our investigation. So while I am not too sure on how procedures work regarding a homicide I will tell you that while there is anything that looks strange in that building I need you to bring it to my attention. It could be as small as a child's toy to a microwave oven."

"So anything that looks out of the ordinary we should question?" Espo asks.

"Exactly right. While you might think that something looks ordinary, it could be just the clue that we are looking for. This person has done a lot of damage and has taken lives in his wake. I want this person."

They all agreed with his instructions. Rick walked to the back of his BDU truck and retrieved some gear. Kate, Javi, and Kevin started to make their way across the street. Stopping at the sidewalk to wait for Rick, Kate could only think about the handshake she shared with Rick. It felt as if she had taken a hold of a high power line when she shook his hand. She still felt the tingle of his touch. He joined them on the sidewalk and together they went in the building. In the back of Rick's mind he knew that something was off. There had been four bombings so far and he had a distant thought starting to form in his head about a possible suspect. As apprehensive as he was, he has seen this setup before, granted it has not been for years, but he remembers it vividly. He just can't place it.

They enter the building and the three newest members notice the wide spread damage that has taken place here. Although the building is structurally sound, the three have their doubts. Rick surveys the outer perimeter of the blast damage. He places a grid pattern from a lime green projector onto the floor.

"Okay, here is what we need to do next. On the floor there is a box one foot by one foot. Anything that you think looks suspicious place a number near it and move onto the next box."

Moving to their task they start the tedious job of finding evidence. It's about 30 minutes later when Ryan taps on Rick's shoulder.

"Lieutenant what about biological evidence? Do we mark that as well?"

"As cold as this might sound no, just try to ignore it. We are looking for more or less man made items. And consider this as a warning...you will find some remains of the victims. The coroner usually misses some parts due to debris. When you are done with the grid search, let's meet by the doorway. Then I can record and inventory all of what we collect. Try not to contaminate anything. We want this evidence to hold up in court."

For the next four hours they sifted, prodded, uncovered and examined every square inch of the crime scene. It's getting close to 8 pm and they have found a lot for Rick to catalog. Kate looks to her team and they look back at her in unison. Kate voices her question to Rick.

"Lieutenant Castle, Some of us missed lunch today. Do you think we could take a break for dinner?"

"Detective Beckett, first of all you can call me Rick. There is no need to be so formal. As for your break I think that we have been at this long enough. Please go home and get some rest. We will pick this up tomorrow morning let's say around 9 am?"

They all look at the bomb tech with a feeling of astonishment. They thought that Rick would work them until midnight at least. Not being to be told twice Ryan and Espo remove their latex gloves and carefully walk around the grid pattern. Seeing this, Kate also follows their lead. Just as they get to the door they all wave to Rick and say good night.

Kate stops and turns back to Rick. "Rick aren't you leaving too?"

"I'll just finish up the last two grids and then pack up my gear and head out."

"Okay, we will see you in the morning then."

"Right, good night then Detective Beckett."

Kate felt a little uneasy about not correcting his use of her title. He asked her to call him Rick and she should have insisted he do the same with her. She turns and leaves. Kevin and Javi have already left as she heads to her car. She unlocks it and slides in. Placing the key in the ignition and starts the car. She is curious about what Rick had told her before she left so she pulls her car out of the spot and drives up past his BDU truck and parks mid-block on the other side of the street between two parked cars. She shuts the car down and waits. Checking her watch for the 20th time she notices that it's almost 1 am. She might have dozed for a while, but when she startled herself awake she looked over to see that his truck was still parked where he had left it earlier.

" _My god, this man doesn't know when to quit. He is either very dedicated or crazy in his own right."_

Just as she completes her thought he appears from behind his truck. Opening the door he starts the truck and drives away. She slouches down in her seat as not to be seen. He passes and she once again is lost in her thoughts. He is dedicated she'll give him that. She rises up in the seat and watches as he turns left on the block from the street he is on. She starts her car once again and heads home armed with just a little more insight on Lieutenant Rick Castle.

 **A/N: I am doing this story without the aide of a Beta. I do have one, but she is very busy with her own life. If there are any errors in either spelling or grammar please forgive my bad writing habits and point them out to me so they can be fixed. I will try to update on a weekly basis starting on Mondays. This will be a multi-chapter story. Thanks for giving my work a read.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kate Beckett returns to a dark and lonely apartment. Choosing to keep it that way, she leaves the lights off and deposits the keys to her car and front door into the glass dish that rests atop the credenza. She knows the way to her kitchen in the dark and heads to the fridge to retrieves a bottle of water. Downing half the bottle she takes a deep breath and exhales heavily. She thinks back to her interaction with Rick earlier today. There is something about him she just can't put her finger on. He is a dedicated individual like herself, and he proved this to her when he finally left the crime scene at 1:15 am.

She needs to know more about him. What drives him. Why he endlessly searches for the truth and to make things right. She thinks that he gets too emotionally involved in his cases. She wants to have a bite to eat, but due to the early hour there is no eatery open for her to order from. She nixes the thought of preparing something for herself and decides to forgo the whole eating thing until breakfast in the morning. Heading to her bathroom she starts her nightly routine, well early morning routine at this point. Removing her makeup, brushing her teeth and slipping into her sleepwear, she sets her alarm for 6 am. She thinks to herself that 4 hours is good enough for her to function for the upcoming day. Pulling back the sheets she glides her body between them and she gets comfortable. She has just one problem. She can't turn her mind off of Rick. So she stares up at her ceiling still trying to figure him out.

Rick arrives home and he sets his gear down on the kitchen chair and secures his gun belt in the safe. He is exhausted and it shows. Before he collapses onto his bed there is one thing he needs to do before he calls it a night. In his small 2 bedroom apartment nestled over a bakery, he walks over to a cracked door that is letting in just enough light into the room. He gently places his hand on the door knob and quietly swings the door open a little more. Making just enough room to place his head between the door and the door frame. There she lies sleeping like a baby. His daughter. She is his world. It's the reason he gets up in the morning and he would give her anything she would ask him for. He assures himself that she is safe and sleeping soundly. He lingers for just a couple of seconds longer since he has missed her so much after the day he has had.

Rick closes the door making sure that he leaves it open just a crack, enough to let the living room light shine in. She has always needed the light to make sure that she was safe for her own peace of mind. Who was he to deny her of this one small request. He heads to his bedroom and starts to undress. The pull of the bed is so great that he only has time to take off his shirt before he collapses on his small full sized bed. Within minutes, he is out like a light. His head barely makes the pillow and his arm is draped over the side of the bed, he quickly falls into a deep non-REM sleep. After about an hour and a half later he is in a full REM sleep cycle

If someone were to see him sleeping they would see his eyes darting back in fourth underneath his eyelids. Obviously dreaming, the only thing one would know by observing him was that he was content in his nocturnal musings. When his face cringes, whoever was watching him sleep would know that whatever he was dreaming by the look on his face was not pleasant. Very quickly his face now starts to show the signs of terror. Actually, when he starts to thrash on the bed his dream takes a turn for the worse, so very much worse...

 _He is in full bomb squad tactical gear. He has the cutting pliers in his right hand and he needs to make a time-critical choice. In his left hand between his fingers, he holds three wires. Red, brown and blue. He always plays it so close to the wire. He needs to decide which wire to cut in order to save a school bus full of children. He is underneath the mid-section of the bus looking up at 3.75 pounds of C-4 also known as an M-112 military demolition block mounted on the frame of the bus. The sweat pours off of him and he quickly wipes his brow to see straight. If he chooses the wrong wire the kids will never see Christmas. Suddenly his partner Jose transmits over the radio "Rick, cut the blue wire." Without hesitation, he does just that. The timer stops with 12 seconds to spare. He backs out from under the bus and since he is the closest to the children he tells them all to get off the bus as quickly as they can. As he watches the last of the children exit the bus from the front, there are just a couple of stragglers left trying to get out of the rear of the bus through the emergency hatch. It is then when he should be hearing the ear splitting sound of the hatch door alarm signaling that the hatch has been opened. There is just one problem, there is no alarm sounding at all. He quickly runs to the rear of the bus, only before he reaches the rear of the bus there is a secondary detonation of C-4 resulting in the back of the bus being obliterated. Four of the children being killed as they tried to leave the bus. As a result of the blast, he himself is thrown 35 feet away from the bus. He in knocked unconscious and ends up with a concussion, temporary loss of hearing, a compound fracture of his right femur and multiple cuts and abrasions and burns covering 60% of his body. He spent 6 weeks in the burn unit receiving 27 skin graphs. Even now his movements are still limited._

Rick's arms and legs are flailing aimlessly even while he is still asleep on the bed. He is trying to extinguish the non-existent flames that claimed his body. As he starts to calm down a little he starts to sob uncontrollably. Tears are flowing freely from his eyes and he can't stop his subconscious from taking control over his emotions. He hears the quiet chimes of church bells. Soothing him at first and then the sound is getting louder, actually too loud for his own liking. It's at that moment he bolts up off the bed and stretches his arm out to pick up his phone that is ringing just like the church bells. Before he swipes to answer it he notes the time 3:42 am. As he answers he can't shake the dream he was having. He knows that things could have gone so differently on that day. Since that day, he was the one who accepted the blame for how those children had died. He was foolish. He figured out too late that there was no way this terrorist for lack of a more fitting title would not have had a secondary device at the ready.

He is brought out of his thoughts when he hears John calling his name.

"Boss you there? Rick say something..."

"Yeah John what's up?" Rick replies sleepily.

"We have a situation. Suspicious large crate on West 54th and Madison near the curb in the middle of the block. And since the big boss is at the ATF conference in Chicago this week, your the man in charge."

"Alright John, get Baez, Smitty, and Charlie alerted and have them meet me there. Give me about 20 minutes."

"You got it, boss." Rick disconnects the call and drags himself out of bed. Not having the time to shower he pulls his shirt back on and takes his sidearm belt off the hook he hung it on in his safe and secures it around his waist. Checking on his daughter once again he sees that she is still asleep he grabs his helmet and flack jacket and leaves the apartment.

It's useless. Kate has been awake for the last 2 hours. At this rate, she will be dragging her feet around today just to stay awake. She can't get him out of her head. No matter what she tries to do she comes back to his blue eyes. From what she has seen of them they seem to be hiding something very deep. Guilt maybe? Deciding that sleep will not come, she gets up and showers gets dressed and brews a pot of coffee. Taking note of the time, it's just before 5 am. With the little extra time she has before she needs to meet the boys and Rick she fills a large travel mug with caffeine courage. She has a thought and she acts on it. Picking up her keys from the glass bowl she leaves her apartment for the 12th.

Climbing the stairs to the precinct she enters through the door and the desk Sergeant gives her a curious look. She walks right by him not acknowledging him. Pressing the call button for the elevator she doesn't wait long for it. The doors open and she gets on, leaving the Sergeant to his own devices. As she sits down at her desk she powers up her computer and pulls up the NYPD personnel roster. She enters Rick's full name and shield number. As she waits for the file to load she takes a swallow of her coffee. Two minutes later his file is in front of her on the screen.

She spends just about a half an hour reading what he has done with the BDU. He started his career with the unit and has been with BDU for the last 16 years. He has had a lot of close calls while he was trying to dismantle explosive devices. He seems to have a John Wayne approach to his job. Always taking the jobs that no one would even consider attempting, placing his life on the line with little thought.

She reads his personal stats and she comes to find out that he has a daughter. But what she doesn't see is any mention of his wife. As she reads further on, her heart sinks in her chest. Reading a little further into the case he was a part of her heart is now shattered into a million small pieces. There seems to have been a situation where his daughter and his wife were abducted by a suspect, who then had a high explosive vest strapped to each of them and made to stand about a block apart in midtown. The suspect made him choose who he was going to save first. With every hostage situation there are many unseen factors. The twist in this case was that the suspect had no intention of letting either one of them live. He had the vests hardwired as well as an active remote trigger. Whoever Rick was going to try to save first the bomber would just remote detonate the vest of the opposite victim. In this case Rick went for his daughter first, thinking that he would have the time to save them both. He was mistaken. The bomber let him disarm his daughters vest and then as he was running down the block to save his wife, the bomber simply pressed the detonator. They had found out later that the suspect had been watching him through a high powered spy glass in an office building across the street during the rescue attempt. Rick never had a chance to save her. As she closes his file and shuts her computer down she absentmindedly raises her fingers to her face and wipes away the tears that she has shed for him.

Her head clear again Kate thought about one thing. Why were they made a target? There had to be a reason that whoever had done this had a vendetta against Rick. The suspect was never apprehended. To this day, the case is still an open investigation. Sadly there have not been any leads since it happened 7 years ago. She needed to find out why exactly his family was targeted. Something was not adding up in her mind.

Rick pulled up to the Northeast corner of 54th street and Madison. As he parked his truck, Smitty came over to the drivers side door.

"Hey boss, we ran a sweep of the crate and nothing comes up showing anything of an explosive compound."

"Smitty get the bot ready. I will try to see if there is anything we can do to take a closer look." Rick says.

"Sure thing boss."

Rick moves over to the command center van and climbs in. He views the video monitor screens that are trained on the crate and notices that there is some type of fluid leaking from one corner of the crate. After a couple of minutes Smitty tells him that the bot is set up and ready for deployment. Rick exits the van and takes the robots control console and starts to maneuver the machine closer to the crate. Traversing the on board camera mounted on the top of the bot, he scans across the crate and takes a closer look. Seeing that it looks like an ordinary shipping crate with nothing suspicious on the outside of it, he then scans the fluid on the sidewalk. It's thick and red his first guess is that it's blood. But it could be a type of hydraulic fluid.

Calling the team to his location he makes the decision to suit up and he will need all of them to back up to a safe distance. After Rick is suited up, Baez is also standing by at the ready. The ESU cops move the street barriers blocking the sidewalk and raise the yellow police tape. Rick cautiously walks the 10 or so yards towards the crate. Upon arriving at the crate, he sees two hinged pins on either side of the frame. Cautiously he removes one of the stainless steel pins that secure the clasp together. He gently slips the clasp off the holder where the pin was recently holding it in place. He peers into the crate through the slight opening that the loose open hinge provides. Inspecting it thoroughly, he backs off a step and removes his helmet and gloves. He pulls his radio out and gives the all clear.

Apparently there has been a feud going on between two major unions. This was the latest attempt at placing blame for unfair work practices towards each other. Union "A" placed 10 dead pigs in the crate and left it in the middle of the block right in front of the main offices of union "B". The fluid leaking from the crate was pigs blood. Rick is relieved. Smitty approaches him and takes his gear from him.

"Smitty, since its still early I am going to head back home and try to get a little more sleep."

"Okay Boss. Will you meet us at headquarters or are you going to continue the investigation on 16th street?"

"No I'm going to head directly over there when I get up. I'll call you when I get there." Rick says with a yawn.

Rick makes his way back to his truck. All he can think about is getting back into a warm bed.

 **This chapter update is only for my A/N.**

 **A/N: I am floored by the response for my little venture into the land of fan fiction. I am so very grateful for everyone who has reviewed, Are following, and who actually favorited my story. It means the world to me that you like what I am trying to write. I only warn you that mistakes are all my own, so if you notice something in my story that is not right, please bring it to my attention so it can be fixed. I hope all of you have enjoyed this chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I am amazed by the support that this story has generated since chapter two. My imagination went a little wild with this chapter and I hope it makes sense to you the reader. So without further delay here is chapter 3...**

Rick Castle repeats the same routine as he had earlier this morning. Checking on his daughter, securing his weapon in the safe, only this time he actually removes his uniform from his body, dropping it in a pile beside his bed. Finally down to a crew neck tee and his boxers, he collapses on his bed. Before becoming completely comatose, he resets his alarm clock for 8 am. He does a quick calculation in his weary head and comes to the conclusion that he will be rewarded with another three hours of sleep. His eyes slowly close and without another thought he is again fast asleep.

It's a late start at school today. It's Friday and the teachers have a faculty meeting this morning. Knowing she won't need to be at school by 7:30, she has the luxury of observing her father for a little bit. She quietly removes herself from her bed knowing that he should be sleeping by now. She heard him when he checked on her...both times this morning. She always woke when he came into the apartment and as he opened her door she played possum. They were both each others support system, even if neither of them knew it. When he would peek his head in to see that she was okay, with this gesture she had known that he had survived yet another day of dismantling bombs by the sound of her door opening and closing quietly. Some nights you could really hear a pin drop.

It's 7:20 and she pads into the kitchen. Pulls out his navy blue coffee mug with yellow lettering across the center of it that tells everyone who sees him drinking from it that he is the "Worlds Greatest Dad". Adding water to the Keurig and popping in a Wolfgang Puck Breakfast in Bed coffee pod she places his mug under the drip nozzle and presses the brew button. Reaching for a plate in the cabinet she places it down on the counter and puts two halves of an English muffin in each slot and starts the toaster. The Keurig is sputtering the last of the coffee into the mug, she takes his mug adds milk and 4 equals to it and stirs it up. The toaster pops up and she quickly takes the hot muffin out and butters it then adds a dab of strawberry jam to them. Placing the muffin and his coffee on a plastic serving tray she carefully balances the tray on her arm so she can open his bedroom door.

Stepping in she sets the tray down on his dresser, then takes a seat on his small love seat opposite his bed quietly. She folds her legs against her body, her thighs touching her chest as she curls her arms around her legs, then interlocks her fingers together. She rests the right side of her head on the top of her knees. Now, she has a great vantage point to see him. She sees his chest rise and fall so evenly. She noticed that he is about 3 or 4 inches too tall for the full-sized bed. His head is touching the headboard and his feet are hanging off the edge of the bed. She moves to his face. Sure he looks older, but the job that he does day in and day out has probably added 10 years to his body.

She notices that his face has an uneasiness about it. Or maybe that could be a look of panic. Her mind wrestles with the features on his face trying to identify it. Before long she is in a dreamlike state, although her eyes are still wide open...

 _She is standing there and he is running away from her. She has a feeling of abandonment wash over her. Her mind quickly disagrees with her heart and she relaxes a little. She knows that the only reason that he is running away from her is to save her mom. He would NEVER leave her alone in this world. A small smile starts to appear on her face and she thinks of happier times with her parents. They have plans to go out tonight to celebrate her birthday with a rare dinner out at Marchi's. When a cop calls out her name, she, for the briefest second turns her head in the direction of the cops voice and that's when her whole world changes. The explosion knocks her off her feet. As she is knocked back, it's like everything's happening in super slow motion. The last vision of her mom that she sees is her being encompassed by an immense fireball. Her dad did not make it to her in time. Even after he had explained to her that things might not end well when he was saving her, she had never thought that he would not save her. After she is picked up off the sidewalk, she is taken to a safe place by the cop who called her name and is shielded from the bloodshed that happened only yards from her. She quickly shuts everything down._

Alexis Castle is now having a very hard time pulling from her memory the events of that dreadful day. She can still remember how her mother had died though the events that led up to her death have perfectly slipped away from her mind. She had lost more than her mother that day, she lost her innocence as well. Being only 9 years old the day it happened she was one of few children who has seen how the "real world" has since affected her. She looks at everything in a different light now. Always trying to see the good in any situation or person she faces. If the events of that day have taught her one lesson, it's that no one is guaranteed a happily ever after.

She comes out of her haze when she hears her father's alarm clock blaring it's wake up call. She raises her head off her knees and sits up straight. Dropping off the love seat she moves to his dresser retrieves the tray and stands at the foot of his bed.

"Alexis? What's wrong? Why aren't you in school?" Rick fires off his questions one after the other.

"Dad, relax. The teachers have a faculty meeting this morning and we have a delayed start for school. I will be there on time. I promise. Classes start at 10 am."

Rick props himself up on his elbow and drags his hand down his face. He needs to shave, the feel of growth on his face confirms this.

"You made me coffee and an English muffin?" He asks.

"I did, but the muffin is probably cold by now. The coffee is still a little lukewarm."

"Thanks, honey. You didn't need to do that."

"Anything for you dad" she replies back honestly.

She has a question to ask him, but in his current state of sleep deprivation she thinks twice about asking him it. Looking at her he must know that she looks troubled and asks

"Alexis is there something on your mind?"

"Dad do you miss her?"

Without any hesitation he answers truthfully.

"Baby, there isn't a day that goes by without me missing anything about your mom. Why?"

"Dad. I'm forgetting her."

"What do you mean Alexis? How?"

"She is fading from my memories, Dad. I can remember the bad memories, but the good ones are slipping from my mind. I just don't want to forget her."

"Honey I would never let that happen. Hey, I have an idea! How about if we get together after I get home from work and I tell you about us. How we met, how we felt when we knew that you were going to be in our lives and when you were little?"

"Dad, yeah I'd love that. Are you going in today?"

"Yeah, I need to finish up with the crime scene on 16st. I won't be long and I'll be here before you get home from school."

"Good then it's a date."

"Are you by your self on this one?"

"Actually I'm not. There are detectives working with me from the 12th precinct. A woman and two men."

Alexis picks up on the fact that he mentioned the woman first and raised her eyebrow slightly. He noticed and said

"Alexis she is a fellow cop. Nothing will happen between us. Hell, I hardly know her. I have heard about her partners though. One was in the narcotic squad on Staten Island and the other is a war vet, a real tough guy."

"Dad you know that you need to move on...right?"

Listen Alexis as much as I need to move on I am not going to have my daughter manage my love life. Now, thank you for the coffee and muffin, it's getting to be the time you get ready for school. That is after I take my shower."

He hurls a pillow at her as he hops off the bed and she ducks just in time to avoid being hit with it.

"Hey that's not fair. I wasn't ready."

By the time he gets to the bathroom, her rant is quickly forgotten. He has about 10 minutes to shave and shower if he is ever going to meet with the cops from the 12th on time. Alexis packs her backpack for the day and waits for him to leave the bathroom. He retreats to his bedroom and dresses as Alexis starts her shower. She thinks that he needs someone in his life that will ease his pain from that day. It could be a fellow cop or maybe a lawyer. Who's to say, she just knows he needs somebody. There is a knock on the bathroom door minutes later and he is telling her that he is leaving for work and that he will be here when she gets home from school.

As he pulls up to the crime scene he sees all three detectives leaning on their car holding coffee cups and talking with each other. He gets out and approaches them. And they are all in sync they raise their arms and look at their watches, then to Rick.

"I know, I know I'm late. There's nothing I can do about midtown traffic. I almost made it here on time."

They all relax their arms. Ryan and Espo give a nod to Kate and she turns and picks up a cup of coffee from the trunk lid of the car that he did not see behind her and she gives it to him.

"Thanks guys!" Rick says, then takes a sip of the caffeine laden liquid.

"Yeah we thought you could use this after the night you had." Ryan comments.

"The night I had?" Rick asks with surprise in his tone.

"Yeah we heard that..." Ryan is cut off by Kate who is giving him a dirty look.

"Castle we heard about the crate on 54th and Madison early this morning." Kate says looking again at Ryan.

Ryan just decides to keep quiet. He guesses that she wanted to keep the fact that he left here at 1:15 this morning to just themselves.

"Well, I'm glad that it was just a prank and no one was hurt. This stuff happens all the time around NYC. You just don't hear that much about it. So are you ready to pick up where we left off?" Rick asks them.

They all reply almost at the same time "Sure"

"Okay then, today we will be sifting through the what's left inside from yesterday. Then our assignment changes. We need to take still pictures of everything in there as well as a 360-degree video of what's left."

The team agrees in all sincerity with nods until Rick makes his last statement.

"Guys that was the easy part. There is something I'm going to tell you that you probably won't like."

Ryan asks "What could be worse than what were already doing now?"

"Well, since you asked...From this point forward in the investigation we all will be wearing PPE. (Personal Protective Equipment) That means Ty-vex suits with hoods, goggles, latex gloves and booties. It will be a scorcher today 90+, so you will need to stay hydrated to keep from passing out. And I won't fault you if you guys loose your shirts and pants. It does help. I'm only suggesting it, you don't need to do it. I know it can be a little inconvenient."

All three of them are grumbling at this latest bit of news. Still, they take it in stride. Espo speaks first

"Where do we change?"

"The back of my BDU truck has a changing area. The suits and additional gear are in the pull out draws. Sizes are marked on the draws."

"Rick, are you sure about this?" Kate asks him quietly.

Pulling her to the side he says to her "Detective Beckett, you are welcome to work in what you have on under your Ty-vex suit. If you so choose. I will keep my eye out for signs that you might pass out. I'll make sure that you are okay."

Within 20 minutes, the team is down to their undergarments and in the Ty-vex suits and ready to go at it once again. Rick was right, these suits do not breath well and he notices that Espo is already sweating. They enter the crime scene. Keeping to the outer perimeter Ryan and Kate start taking stills with the camera. Rick and Espo on the other side of the scene are marking the evidence bags with the case number and adding a brief description of what's in the bags. Rick looks across the room and sees that Ryan and Kate have moved on, now take the 360-degree video of the crime scene. They were also told to add commentary if needed.

After about an hour they are all done documenting the scene. Rick now needs to gather the team and tell them the next step.

"Detectives could you all come over here please."

When they are assembled Rick lays out the next phase of the investigation.

"Here's what we need to do now." Rick takes a deep breath knowing that this is far from what they have seen in their field of work. They are used to whole bodies when they arrive at a crime scene. This will be new to them.

"Ryan you and Espo are team 1. Kate and myself are team 2. Here are more evidence bags. What we need to do now is retrieve the parts of the bomb itself. Anything and I mean anything that looks like it was from this device needs to be questioned. From the initial investigation, I only found and recorded a couple of components. I know this seems tedious but we need all the components of this bomb. There is one more thing...if you come across any human remains they also need to be swabbed for any chemical signature as well as parts of the bomb embedded in the remains and placed in the evidence bags as well."

"I know this is going to be hard, but we need to find out who did this and the only way to do that is to be professional about it. Ryan and Espo, if there is any way you can possibly find out where the victims were before the bomb detonated and where they ended up, that would help immensely. If you need help just call me over."

"Lieutenant there are hundreds of body parts here. How many victims were involved?" Ryan asks.

"Detective Ryan, there were 5 victims that were in the intimidate area when the bomb went off. There was also one bystander that was hit by debris flying outside on the sidewalk below. She is stable now in the hospital."

They all turned to finish the job. About 2 hours later they have found numerous parts of the bomb. Kate and Rick had come across the right hand of one of the victims and embedded in its palm is what could be the triggering device. It would take some tests to confirm this, but this was a big break. Rick got up off his hands and knees and said

"Detectives, I think we have accomplished all that we can. Most of the bomb components have been recovered and there is not much left to do here. It's 1 pm now why don't we call it quits.'

"Castle, that's it? What's the end game here?" Kate asks worried.

"Detective Beckett, Yes, that's it. Your part of this investigation is complete. You are free to go. I know that you really did not like being told what to do by me seeing that you were the one "in charge" here." Rick emphasized the words in charge.

Ryan and Espo chuckle at his statement. Kate could kick herself for being so heartless at their first encounter.

"The end game will not be found out for some while detective. This is not like a homicide investigation. I will need to pour over all the evidence that we have collected and make a decision to find out who did this."

"So yes that's it. It was a pleasure working with you and I hope that sometime in the near future our paths will cross once again. That goes for you as well Detectives Ryan and Esposito. It really was a pleasure."

Kate stands there appalled. She does not want this to end for two reasons, she really want's to nail this guy and she really, really wants to get to know Rick better. But she won't come right out and say it. Ryan and Espo turn and leave. Kate is still standing there dumbfounded. As the guys reach the exit Rick calls out to them

"Detectives, in my truck is a very small de-con stall. It holds about 100 gallons of water. It will be cold but you can rinse off before you redress if you want. Towels are in the marked bins to your right."

"Thanks Lieutenant that sounds like a great idea."

Rick looks up at Kate, who is still standing there and he tells her "Detective, the door is that way." As he points towards the door.

She is silent for a second or two, but in those seconds looking at her he think he notices a look of yearning flash over her face. She averts her eyes from his.

"Rick, what are you going to do?" Kate asked knowing all to well that he stayed here late last night.

"Kate while your part of this case is done, I'm just getting started. I need to secure all the evidence, determine that the scene is safe and clear of any biological and chemical hazards, then contact Con Ed and cut the power to the building, then determine if it's structurally safe."

"But I thought you have already done this before we came in here." She asked a little upset

"For the investigation I did. Now I need to make a recommendation to the city to either keep it or demolish it. And there's no way that this building can be repaired. So, detective I am going to bet that your fellow partners and done getting dressed by now and you should do the same. Plus I need to get home before 3 pm and this work will not get done by itself."

Kate turns around and heads out. As she gets to the edge of the crime scene she turns to see him packing up all the evidence into large see through bins. She quietly says good bye under her breath and leaves.

Rick watched her turn and say something quietly under her breath. He needed her to leave. He had lied to her when he told her that he needed to find out who had planted this bomb. When in reality he already knew. The key was the triggering device he and Kate had found. When they uncovered it, there was no question in his mind that this was the same work of the suspect who kidnaped his daughter and was responsible for the murder of his wife. It sent a chill down his entire body. Now all he needed to do was find this bastard whatever the cost...

 **A/N 2: I'd like to thank all those readers who are following this fic. And also those who have favorited it as well...** tiffanyism, TORONTOSUN, KateBeckett2012, bklynnet33, 47Always47 **just to name a few, the list is too long to mention everyone! I hope that you are pleased with this chapter. Next we dive into who this person is who wants payback from Rick.**


	4. Chapter 4

Daniel O'Connor. What's in a name he thought to himself. The small voice in his head told him _"a name is only a name, and it is not yours."_

Daniel agreed with the small voice and set back to his work. The first thing he had done when he hit the shores of this country 19 years ago was to alter his identity. There was no way that Castle was going to find him here in NYC, not that Castle was going to be looking for him in the first place, but he was not going to take any chances. He had to laugh to himself because what kind of name is Castle? It represents what monarchs and royals lived in. Not a man's last name. No, he did exactly what Rick Castle done...he changed his identity. It had taken him about a year to find Rick and he now knew just about everything there was to know about the man...again.

Taunting him had been so entertaining. Now it had become the time for him to pay. He had shown Rick just who was in charge 7 years ago. He had set a ruse for his daughter and she had responded to it willingly. It only took about 30 seconds for his wife Sarah to realize that she had been taken. His wife had been frantic when she noticed that her daughter was gone. And he had predicted her every move. It was endearing actually, the worry and love a mother has for her daughter. As she ran out of the house and onto the sidewalk, he was ready for her. He was well hidden between a delivery van and a large panel van parked on the street. She ran past the two parked trucks and that's when he struck. He jumped out from between the trucks covered her mouth with his right hand and with a syringe filled with Diprivan, injected it into her neck with his left then caught her as she fell. Dragging her back to the delivery van he was being careful not to be seen. He bound her and threw her in the back of the van with her daughter.

As he drove to his safe house he wondered if Rick had put it all together yet. The phone call he made to the bomb squad unit was cryptic, but Daniel had faith in Rick's ability to decipher its meaning. He pulled up to the safehouse and parked close to the rear door so he would not be seen by prying eyes. He pulled the unconscious bodies of Rick's wife and daughter out of the van and set himself to work. The vests were easy to deactivate any 4th grader could pull it off. His intent was not to make them impossible to disable. No, this was a test for Rick. A test to actually show where his devotion lies. With the vests in place, he had his two detainees bound together in the middle of the empty storage room strapped to a support beam. He could not risk them knowing where they are.

He waited for about an hour sitting on an old fold up chair waiting for them to come to. His daughter was the first to come out of her drug induced haze. Struggling at first he quickly rose from the chair and told the to keep calm or he would kill her mother right here and now. She stopped struggling. It was not long after when his wife had come back to the living. He let them wake fully before explaining what was going to happen to them. Now, with their undivided attention he told them exactly what was going to happen next. After the explanation of the events that were to follow his wife had just a one-word question. "Why?

Deciding that she did not need to know the events that led him to this juncture, he kept quiet only adding in his heavy Irish brogue

"Lass, warn him in any way on who to save first, I will kill you both even before he has the chance to save either of you...understood?"

Both Sarah and Alexis say "Yes."

He had a vantage point to see that they kept their word and he would not hesitate in the least to carry out his threat to them. He untied them from the beam and walked them to the van. 37 minutes later they were at Madison Square Garden. He pulled up to the corner of W31st street and 8th ave and parked the van. Walking to the back of the van, he opened the doors, then raised his hand and motioned them to come out. As they climbed out of the van some of the people who were passing them were watching the scene unfold before them, they started to move away quickly with horrified looks on their faces when the pair stepped out of the van. He grabbed Sarah and Alexis by the arms. He walked them about 15 feet from the van and stopped. Placing Alexis 2 feet from the subway grate in the sidewalk and perpendicular with the entrance to Penn Station he told her not to move a muscle. Then he walked with Castles wife 75 feet away from Alexis. He turned her so that they were facing each other. He gave Sarah the same warning he gave Alexis only a minute before. Then he left.

Walking across 8th Ave. he made his way to the U.S. Post office building. He entered and took the stairs to the 3rd floor and entered the empty storage room. Taking out his Canon 18x50 IS image stabilized All-Weather Binoculars. (He spared no expense for this show) He quickly looked through them and waited. As he watched intently he trained his sights on Alexis. As he did all he could see were the silent tears flowing down her cheeks. He then traversed over to her mother and she was talking to her daughter. What she was saying to her he would never know, not that he cared anyway. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the cop that would later pull Alexis from the sight of her mother's demise. He was talking to her, but she was not moving a muscle. His warning to her made her think twice. Just then Rick pulled up in his NYPD-issued BDU truck. He parked and evaluated the scene in front of him.

He attempted to take a step towards Sarah, only to stop mid-step. His eyes were focused on his wife. Daniel could not see her right side. What Daniel had failed to see was Sarah's right hand had extended three fingers at her side. For Rick, he remembered the meaning of her gesture. Her three fingers were her code for the three of them. It was something silly they had come up with one day. It was used to describe Alexis as the third finger. She retracted her index and middle finger and tapped her ring finger against her leg. Immediately Rick took two steps forward and then quickly turned to his right. Daniel watched through the glasses as he approached his daughter. He was at her side in a heartbeat. He knelt down and started talking to her. He watched as he examined the vest. He traced the vest's power back up and cut the lead to the explosive, then disarmed the main triggering contact. He rose, turned and in a sprint, started running towards his wife.

Daniel already had the remote for the second vest in his hand with his thumb on its trigger. He just needed for Rick to get just a little closer. Waiting until he was about 20 feet from her and detonated the vest. He was content that the ESU cop who was closest to Alexis had pulled her away just in time and shielded her right before he hit the switch. She did not need to be exposed to her mother's death, no Rick needed to suffer this pain alone and by himself and he made sure he would. He delayed his departure, making sure that he could see the pain and anguish on Rick's face through the glasses. Daniel was just getting started. Rick was going to realize that no one is going to come out of this in one piece. Eying Rick one last time he watched as he was on his knees holding his hands on either side of his head sobbing like an infant. Daniel left his hiding spot and hailed a taxi to take him back to his safe house. The van was stolen so going back for it was not an issue.

Daniel remembers that day vividly. Nothing would stop him for what Rick had done to him and his family. People say that karma is a bitch and Daniel was going to be the one to prove it. Daniel adds the last component to his latest creation. It is a pressure activated sensor plate. It is a work of art. It is 3 millimeters high and 3 feet in diameter. When activated there are two ways it arms itself. First when activated the pressure switch completes the circuit and arms the plate. Then there is a backup system that rearms the plate through a secondary circuit if the primary circuit is tampered with, giving the illusion that the plate is disarmed to the bomb squad tech.

Daniel has done his homework and now it will pay off. He studied Ricks team thoroughly. Paul "Smitty" Williams was 44. He was a widower. His wife and son were killed 3 years ago at the hands of a drunk driver on St. Patty's Day. Smitty was not a person to hold a grudge for long and that's what his co-workers loved about him. Even with the death of his wife and son he had forgiven the man who had taken them from him. He led a simple life now. He was not seeing anyone, that was not the way he was wired. He believed that once you met the woman of your dreams no other woman would compare. He was the perfect target.

Daniel had Smitty's routine down to a science. Hell, there were times when he knew what Smitty would do before he did it himself. Now it was time to get Rick more involved in his friends lives. He placed his latest creation in his oversized bag with 7 kilos of TATP (triacetone triperoxide) and a couple of surprises for Rick as well. He headed out of the safe house and got into yet another stolen car. Starting the car he navigated the streets away from his safe house and before long he was nearing Brooklyn. Making a pass to be sure that his victim was not home Daniel circled around the block and parked 5 houses away from Smitty's house. Casually walking back to the house he kept an eye on his surroundings. As he was met with the walkway to the house, he hesitated for a second and then proceeded. Making quick work of the home security system, he entered the house.

Setting his bag down he retrieved his tape measure and marked out 4 feet from the front door. He carefully removed the carpet that covered the hardwood floor. He drilled a ¼ inch hole right in the floor where the sensor plate would sit. He placed the sensor plate on the floor making sure to run the leads into the hole in the floor then secured it with miniature wood screws. He reinstalled the carpet and left for the basement. He took the leads and ran them along the floor joist and into the existing electrical breaker box. He installed a similar breaker box alongside the first one. Carefully removing 5 kilos of the TATP he placed it into the "new" breaker box. He snaked the leads through the conduit from the real box to the fake one. Moving back to the sensor plate he hung an old ammo box with 2 kilos of TATP in it. He wired the secondary leads to the TATP in the ammo box and stood back to admire his work. He has learned a lot from Rick but more from his friends who had turned on Rick when he retreated to the U.S. One thing he enjoyed making was explosives. He had learned that with a little Acetone, Hydrogen, and Hydrochloric acid mixed in the proper amounts he produced enough of an explosive to level Smitty's house and maybe one or two nearby. TATP was a very unstable explosive, more so than RDX or C-4. Terrorists in the middle east had been using it now for a couple of years, but there was always a report of a group who mishandled it after it was made which resulted in destroying their whole camp. No, he was going to be very careful here.

Rick would never spot the leads going over to the fake breaker box. He made sure all the leads were well hidden. The bait was the ammo box. It had more meaning to Rick and he knew this would be too hard for him to resist. Making sure he had left no traces of his visit he left the house, but not before reactivating the home alarm system. He opened the car door and sat behind the wheel. Soon headlights appeared in front of him. He looked at his watch and sure enough just like clockwork Smitty had driven up the street and into his driveway. As he got out he retrieved his take out meal and walked to the house. Daniel watched as he disarmed the alarm system and he disappeared behind the front door. Waiting for about a minute he then started the car and drove away.

He arrived back at the safe house and since he had Smitty's IP address for the home security system. He accessed the address and tapped into the cameras that were in the home. The monitor came to life and he watched as Smitty stood in the center of the room still as a statue. After a couple of minutes, Smitty gently retrieved his cell phone from his pocket. He called the bomb squads main number. It had taken the squad less than 4 minutes to respond. Rick had arrived shortly after that. He ran up to the front door and stopped when he noticed Smitty standing still.

"Smitty, it's Rick. What's the situation?"

"Boss, I'm standing on a sensor plate and it went active the second I stepped onto it."

"Okay, is the back door open?"

"No, but the key is under the planter by the door."

"Smitty relax we will get you off that thing, don't worry."

"Boss I'm not worried I just hope that you can disarm it with me intact."

"I'll do my best." Rick replies after a chuckle.

"Make sure you do just that."

Rick rushes back to the rear door and uses the key to open it. Before entering he first looks to the floor for a second sensor plate. Seeing that it's clear, he proceeds into the house. He comes around the kitchen island and into the living room. He looks at Smitty and assures him that it will all work out.

"Smitty did you notice anything out of the ordinary?"

"Nope, the house was the same way when I left this morning."

"Okay, I'm going to take a look around the basement, I'll be right back."

Daniel knows that Rick will be getting the first part of the puzzle when he sees the ammo box hanging from the rafter. He keeps his eye on Smitty and then switched the view to Rick in the basement. He sees him check the bottom side of the sensor plate and trace the leads to the ammo box. That's when he sees it. The look of sheer terror in Ricks eyes. He knows now that Rick knows...and now the game is on...

 **A/N: I am still amazed at the response this story is receiving. I want to thank everyone who is following and has favorited this story. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:1 I am posting this chapter and all future chapters from now on, on Sundays. My job will keep me too busy to get this story updated on Mondays.**

 **A/N:2 I have done research into the IRA and Sinn Fien and while I understand their mission and how they work today, it was a little different back when Rick would have been 17 or 18 in 1985. Remember this a work of fiction and I might have taken some liberties. It is not my intention to make light of or offend anyone of Irish decent.**

 **A/N:3 To all who are following/favoriting and anyone who just stumbled onto this story. These next chapters could get confusing for some. In this chapter, you will find out that Daniel/Colin are one in the same person. I hope this clears up any confusion.**

Kate Beckett sat at her desk. Lieutenant Rick Castle was a closed book to her. Sure he was a polite man, and the little things did not seem to bother him that much. She had witnessed this firsthand and she could tell that he has a very kind, and forgiving heart. No, there was something he was hiding. Something deep in his heart and soul that he was not willing to let anyone else see. It's not against the rules to look into an NYPD cops background. She had already taken a look through his personal file and it only gave her the basics. She needed more...a lot more.

So while she had exhausted the limits of his NYPD file, there had to be more information on him, somewhere. Her mind was made up. Making the decision to find out all that was available to her she set out to do just that. She just needed a starting point. Collecting her bag, gun and badge she got up and walked over to Ryan's desk and told him that she needed a few hours of personal time. With their current case closed and the reports written up she did not feel that guilty leaving for the rest of the day.

Her first stop would be the BDU unit. She would talk with his team members and see what they could offer up. She felt pretty certain that she would get this information without him finding out right away. She had a friend at the 12th who knew a Captain at the Bomb unit and found out that Rick had just left minutes ago for another threat somewhere in Brooklyn. So it gave her a little time to get in and out of BDU without being caught by him. Thinking of what to ask on the ride over, she thought of diving back into his time when he had first started with the NYPD and hopefully before that. Maybe he liked to tell stories to the guys about his past, one could only hope.

Arriving at the BDU headquarters she parked and got out of her car and approached the building. Outside there were two BDU members sitting in the first bay of the garage in front of what looked like a small tank talking quietly to each other. Walking up to them she asked

"Why do you guys have a tank parked behind you?"

"Lady, that's not a tank by any means. It's an APC."

"An APC?" Kate asked.

The older man spoke up and said "Yes, it's an ACP. An Armored Personnel Carrier. It allows us some protection for responding to various situations like riots, and bomb threats without compromising ourselves."

"Oh okay, I was hoping if I could talk with you about your Lieutenant?"

"Maybe, who's asking?" The younger man asked curiously.

"I'm so sorry, I'm detective Kate Beckett from the 12th precinct. A couple of days ago myself and my team worked with Rick at a crime scene on 16th street."

"Rick, huh?" The older man commented.

"Yes, the Lieutenant was very well versed in the procedures involving this case." Kate had quickly changed her tact using his title instead of his first name.

"He was huh?" The younger man looked at the older one and cracked a small smile.

"Yes, so would it be alright if we talked?" She asked hopefully.

"Well since you have asked so nicely, what would you like to know about "Rick"?"

Kate looked away while she tried to hide her blushing cheeks. Neither of the BDU men missed that. Now that Kate had two willing people to talk to her she turned back to them and started her questions, her face turning a light shade of pink.

"Has the Lieutenant always been assigned to the BDU unit?" Kate knew the answer from looking into his file she just wanted to see what the men would tell her.

"For as long as I can remember he has." The older man replied. "I've been here for 14 years and he was here before I was assigned here."

"I'm new to the unit, only been here for 3 years and Rick was my training officer so to speak." The younger man responded.

"Can you tell me anything about his time before he was assigned to BDU?" She asked the older man.

"I'm really sorry, where are my manners. I'm Dave and this youngster here is Juan." Dave said.

"Hi Dave, Juan, I'm Kate."

"So Kate to answer your question, the only thing I can tell you is that before Rick became a BDU member he had worked with two commands as a beat cop. The first was the 1st precinct down by the Holland Tunnel, and the second was the 47th up in the north Bronx. He had been with the 47th right before he was transferred here to the BDU."

Kate drew her hand to her chin and thought about what to ask next.

"Dave, can you tell me anything about his personal life?"

Dave waited for a second and then with a twinkle in his eye he said "What would you like to know...Kate?"

Again, Kate needed to look away due to her reddening cheeks and Dave knew exactly what she was looking for from them. A silence fell among them and then quickly Juan broke it.

"I know that he has a daughter. And he is fiercely protective of her." Dave nodded at his comment.

"How old is she?" Kate asked.

"She's 16 getting ready to turn 17." Dave replied.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Kate, listen the job we do here has no guarantees. We could respond to a call that could be our last. This is something that we agreed to when we accepted this assignment. Rick is a very closed person. He doesn't let much escape about his personal life. That's about all we know about his home life. He has a daughter he cares for and he is a damn good single father. He would give his life for his for hers in a second. And ad far as I can tell Rick is not the type of man to sleep around. Once he commits to someone they will grow old together. But, there is one thing that I do know, since his wife Sarah had died he has never been seen with another woman. Now I hope that we have answered at least some of your questions." After hearing what Dave said about there being no guarantees in what he did, call it a woman's premonition or just a police instinct, the call he was out on gave her a gut-wrenching feeling, an omen if you will that things were not going to go well for him there. Letting the feeling wane a little she said

"Thanks, Dave, Juan you have."

Kate turns back to head for her car. As she does she hears from Dave, "Kate enjoy the rest of your day!"

Over her shoulder, she throws back at him "Don't worry I will!"

She gets into the car and pulls away. Juan looks over to Dave and he says "Juan, it looks like Rick has just found himself a whole new problem to deal with!" Juan just smiles back at Dave.

Kate thought to herself once again. That's when the detective in her came up with another avenue of investigation. She still had his address and she thought a little bit of old fashioned investigation was on the menu. She navigated her car to its new location. Thinking that there would be someone where he lived that could give her just a little more information about him she headed to his apartment building. She pulled up to the building and it was a nice building on the outside. Fresh paint, decent lighting, and security cameras. There was no doorman, but there was a security lock on the front door. Now she was stuck. She knew his apartment number and it was then that she looked at the list of tenants. Selecting the apartment that she thought would get her in, she pressed the buzzer and waited for a response.

"Yes, who's there?" An older-sounding woman said.

"Hello, I'm detective Beckett with the 12th precinct, could I ask you a couple of questions?"

"What's it in regards to?" The woman asked back.

Now Kate was screwed. She could not actually tell this person she wanted to talk to someone about Rick so she needed to come up with something quickly.

"I'm here to ask about the recent rash of vandalism of the cars parked on the street."

Kate hoped that this would get her inside. The security door buzzed and the older voice came through the speaker. "Okay come on in, apartment 2B."

Kate opened the door and stepped in. It was a decent looking lobby and she made her way to apartment 2B. She would spend about 10 minutes max with this woman asking general questions about a crime that did not actually happen and then move up to Rick's floor where the real questions will start.

Looking down the hallway and locating Rick's apartment she made a choice to knock on the door to the left of Ricks apartment. Softly knocking on the door she waited. Hearing movement behind the door, her police training kicked in and then her hand went to her gun. After a split second, she removed her hand realizing that this was a social call not the serving of an arrest warrant. The door creaked open only enough the let the woman behind the door to see into the hallway.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Yes, I was hoping you might be able to." Kate replied.

"So, what is it that you need?"

"I would like to ask you some questions about your neighbor Mr. Castle."

"Can I ask who you are again?"

"My name is detective Beckett. I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions about Mr. Castle." Kate told the older woman again, who was now looking at her shoes, no longer being able to tell her the real reason she was there.

"Oh Sweetie, he IS a catch isn't he?"

Kate was shocked at the woman's statement. Was she that easy to read? Did her feelings for Rick betray her? Looking up back at the woman and a small smile graced her face.

"Come on in Sweetie, we have a lot to talk about." She said kindly.

Walking into the apartment she noticed a lot of small figurines which looked a little like Hummels but were much more expensive on a large bookshelf. Passing them, she slowed and looked at the painstaking detail that was involved in crafting them. Lingering just a little too long the woman said

"They are beautiful, don't you think?"

Kate replied "Yes, They are."

"My neighbor gave them to me as gifts." As she pointed towards Rick's apartment.

Kate turned and looked at the woman with a puzzled look. Rick gave her these figurines.

All she could think was WOW! These were very exquisite pieces.

"Have a seat, Kate." Kate sits opposite the older woman.

"My name is Mary Anne Janowski. You can call me Mary Anne. So what kind of information do you need?"

Kate had a list of questions if she found someone willing to talk to her, but now her mind drew a blank. While she was trying to gather her thoughts, Mary Anne started talking.

"I have known Rick, Sarah and Alexis since they moved into their apartment, Oh I'd say it was about 19 or 20 years ago. They were so fascinated by this city and the people who lived in it. When Alexis was younger Rick and Sarah did everything they could to give her a normal childhood. It's a shame that they lost both a wife and mother on the same day. But I think that Rick buried his feelings deep down from the events of that day and made it his life's mission to provide all that he could to Alexis and keep her happy and safe."

Kate just sat there. She never would realize that Rick was so self-effacing. To her, it seemed that when she first met him he was acting like a jerk just doing this for her benefit. Now she has seen his generosity first hand. Spending too much time daydreaming Mary Anne chimed in once again.

"Sweetie what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Kate replies back

"Kate, It's never nothing, remember you came to me to talk...so talk to me!"

"I think that I might have made a terrible mistake."

"How so?" Mary Anne asked uncertainly.

"Rick was given the job to investigate a crime scene recently and myself and two more detectives were assigned to help him. At first, I hated the fact that we needed to work together. So, before first meeting him I made a really stupid comment. I, without knowing he was right behind me told my detectives that even though he was investigating this case I was the officer in charge."

"Oh Boy!" Mary Anne responded.

"Yeah, me and my big mouth. Sometimes I try to see how far I can stick my foot in it."

Mary Anne giggled a little "Kate, I'll let you in on a little secret. Rick takes most everything in stride and he quickly lets things go. His philosophy is that if it doesn't affect him or Alexis with bodily harm, he forgives just about everything."

"Can I ask you why?"

"Kate you need to know that Rick's job is one that he may not ever come back from. I'm sure that you have had close brushes with death doing your job, but the threat for you not to come home at the end of the day is much less than Rick's. Now that's something that you need to think about. He leaves his place every day knowing that he may never return to see his daughter. When Alexis was about 12 he came to me with his lawyer. I had no idea why they were here. After inviting them both in I found out that he had drawn up legal papers for me to sign stating that if anything ever happened to him I was going to be Alexis's legal guardian."

"He did?" Kate wondered just what else Rick had done. "Can you tell me anything about his past?"

"Well, you know that Rick is not a natural born citizen right?"

"No, I thought he was a citizen of the U.S."

"No, he is not. He holds dual citizenship for two countries. However, he is protective of his roots. He actually comes from Ireland. He lived in a small town about 5 miles outside of Belfast, Northern Ireland a town named Dunmurry."

"I would have never guessed. He has no brogue or traits that wold give any indication that he was from Ireland." Kate said.

"Kate, it's there, you just really need to listen for it. There are times when he gets a little too tipsy and he lets it show. That's when I think he gets a little homesick. So much so that when he has one too many pints of Guinness his past catches up with him."

Kate was enjoying just hearing about how carefree Rick could be when he had too much to drink. With this new information, she thought that now that she had a solid direction to move in to find out even more about him. She wondered what made him come to the U.S. in the first place?

"Mary Anne can you tell me why Rick came to the U.S.?"

Mary Anne's face quickly changed from a big smile to a very mournful look in a split second. Kate had to think that she hit a topic that Mary Anne could not or did not want to talk about. So she gave her a few minutes to let her gather her thoughts and hoped that she would continue.

"Kate how much do you know about Sinn Féin and the IRA?"

"I don't know that much. Just only that the IRA was responsible for all types of bombings in and around London. As for Sinn Féin. aren't they a political party?"

"Yes they are and you're right about the IRA mostly." Mary Anne said.

Knowing that she had Kate's full attention now, so she continued.

"It was a long time ago mind you, and I have just put all this together from when Rick was more than a little tipsy over many occasions. The reason he left Ireland was a decision he had to make. Belfast was the heart of the IRA. Everything was planned there. There was a second in command of the bombing operations who had his eye on Rick. He was actively trying to recruit Rick into the IRA. From what I understand once you are a member you never leave. Rick had a genius for making bombs. This skill was noticed by their second in command."

"Kate are you with me so far? Would you like something to drink?"

"I am Mary Anne. And no thank you I'm good."

"So as I was saying, Rick was being actively recruited by the IRA. He had a childhood friend named Colin, for the life of me I can't remember his last name. The IRA wanted Rick so bad that they used Colins family as a warning. They started to terrorize Colin and his family, nothing major at first it was only after a while that they started to step up their game. One day Colin's father was getting ready to head home from work and while he was getting his things together the family car was destroyed by a car bomb."

"Oh my god." Kate responds.

"This went on for about a year before the IRA had decided they were not going to sway Rick into their ranks. They made an example of Colin's family. Colin was supposed to be there that night, but Rick had asked Colin to go out with him that night. They went into town and after doing what they had to do they returned to find Colins house leveled. The IRA made it a point that if they could not have Rick, Colin would not have his family. The bomb detonated in the middle of the living room and Colins father, mother and baby sister were killed instantly. That's when Rick made the decision to come here and get out from under the violence he had witnessed. He felt bad for Colin, he really did. There was a time before they had Colin committed they were the best of friends. I'm sure that's not the case now."

"Wait, he was committed?"

"They had him sent to a psych facility. He had no living relatives to take care of him after his parents died then he actually just shut down. No one could get to him. As far as I know he is still there."

For Kate, things were becoming clearer now. She needed to keep what she found out to herself and find a time when she actually could bring up with him, that is maybe after she asks him out on a date. Thanking Mary Anne she rises off the couch.

"Mary Anne, Thanks so much for talking with me. I was wondering if I could stop by again sometime?"

"Kate, I'd love that." "Oh and Kate... a little FYI you two would be great for each other."

Kate descends the stairs and pulls out her keys to her car with a carefree smile on her face. Unlocking it and getting in she thinks to herself for a second. Trying to decide what to do next, she is tired and hungry and thinking that she has more information than she bargained for she decides to go home. Starting the car, the two-way radio comes alive with a lot of radio traffic. She gives a quick listen not really expecting to hear anything big.

" _BDU-3 to central, Kay"_

" _Central, go"_

" _BDU requests additional FDNY at current scene."_

" _BDU-3 repeat scene address, Kay"_

" _BDU-3 to central, be advised address is four-four-zero Linden Boulevard. Kay?"_

" _Copy BDU-3, additional units en route."_

Listening as if her life depended on it Kate pulls her cell phone from her jacket pocket. Dialing, she quickly she waits for the call to connect. When it does she can't get her request out fast enough.

"Espo, do you still have friends in ESU?" Kate asks him hopefully.

"I do why?"

"I need you to call them and see what's going on at four-forty Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn"

"Okay, hold on a sec" Espo dials his friend from his desk phone allowing Kate to hear their conversation.

"Jonesy, I need a favor. Can you tell me what's going on at 440 Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn?"

"Wow, Javi, where you been?"

"Why what's going on over there?"

"A BDU bomb tech was killed there trying to disarm about 7 pounds of explosives. From what I heard it leveled the house and two more with it." At hearing this Kate lets the phone fall to the passenger seat.

"Jonesy hold on a sec."

"Kate,?" "Kate are you there?" Espo is listening to empty air. Then he hears her say "Javi please don't say it. It can't be true, It can't be."

"Jonesy let me get back to you. Wait a sec...can you find out the identity of that BDU tech for me? And how long ago this happened?"

"Espo it happened about twenty minutes ago. I'll get back to you with the name." Espo hangs up the phone. Calling Kate on the other end he gets no answer. Finally after a couple of minutes he hears her once more.

"Kate what's going on?"

"Javi, that might be Rick."

"So what's the big deal? It's not you like the guy...right? You don't really like him do you?" Right after the words leave his lips he realizes that this was the wrong thing to say. Kate is silent on the other end and he swears he hears her crying.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I don't want to confuse you the reader with this chapter. Last chapter we found out that Daniel was actually Colin. Since Rick had a troubled past he too changed his name when he came to the U.S. Rick and Patrick O'Farrell are one in the same person. Sorry for the late A/N. And now on to chapter 6...**

Ireland. It had been a lifetime ago. He thought he had left that life behind him years ago. As he looked at the ammo box hanging from the rafter in Smitty's basement, his worst fears were confirmed. Before he considers his own life, his concern is the safety of his daughter. He knows that the person who set the bomb, who baited him will likely make another attempt on his daughter. As he studies the device he realizes that there's no outcome in which he will come through this alive. That goes for Smitty as well. The fact that the device was custom made it and of itself, leads him to deduce who had constructed it. He carefully inspects the device. He knows from experience that there is more than one surprise here; he just needs to find them.

From above he hears a shaky, muffled voice calling him, startling him for a second. "Rick, how does it look?" Smitty asks hopefully.

"It looks like a bomb Smitty." Rick grins sardonically. Humor, specifically black gallows humor gets them through when they are faced with insurmountable odds, like today.

Rick hears his friend's edgy chuckle and retort, "smart ass."

Rick looks at the routing of the leads that connect the pressure plate to the TATP in the ammo box. Until he looks closer, he almost misses a second set of leads that are hidden well. He carefully removes the Romex® cable and traces the red and black leads that run behind the cable. He follows them from the pressure plate along the main beam of the first floor. They stretch about the entire length of the basement. Walking under the rafter he finally sees where they end. They join a second cable, most likely the doorbell wires and then drop down into the breaker box.

Smitty's basement is unfinished. His washer and dryer are up against the wall under a small 6 x18 inch window. Then he looks at the two breaker boxes mounted next to each other opposite the dryer, he pulls out his flashlight and rests his head even with the back of each box. Shining the light behind each box he sees that one is secured to the inside of the vertical rafter. The second is not. It's just placed there; looking like it is mounted to the rafter. Looking back up to where the leads move into the first breaker box he notices a PVC fitting connecting the two boxes together.

Rick sighs. He now has two red flags, waving madly: the second box is not secured to the rafter and there is a gray PVC fitting joining the boxes together. He takes his cordless screwdriver and very delicately removes the screws that hold the front cover onto the second breaker box. With all the screws out, he pries the cover open, from the left side opposite the latch so he can look inside to see if the latch is wired to detonate when opened. Thankfully, it's not, but after looking inside, he has bigger problems. First: there is about 11 pounds of TATP crammed into the box and second: there is a digital timer counting down from 38:19, 18, 17, 16. Rick whispers under his breath "God damn you, Colin."

Yeah, now he definitely knows who built and set this device. The latest confirmation of a ghost's proficiency is staring him directly in the face. Colin has come back to the living. He thought for sure his life was free from this psychopath. He was always the loose cannon when they were younger and it appears that he hasn't changed his ways in their old age.

Rick retreats to the staircase and heads back upstairs. He briefs Smitty and the rest of the squad. They will need to work fast if they have any chance of saving Smitty. Rick lies down by the pressure plate and sees that it too is custom made. He needs to find the secondary trigger, because Colin would always have a backup.

After surveying the plate, because whatever Colin's sick mind had thought up is most certainly within the plate and consequently inaccessible to Rick, he gets up and looks at Smitty, trying not to project his grim findings. "Paul, I have an idea."

Smitty looked at his friend, and he did not like what he saw in his eyes. He had an inkling and he was sure it would not end well for either of them. He knows that Rick would be with him to the end if needed. That was the way it was.

Rick speaks quietly to Smitty, "Paul, we will get you off that plate. There is something I need to do with the rest of the squad, give me a minute and I'll tell you what our plan of attack will be." Smitty nods slowly not wanting to move too much.

Rick walks up to the rest of the unit. "Guys I need a couple of things. We need to work fast so there will be no screw-ups, understood? Baez, I need you to get me two canisters of Liquid Nitrogen and the protective gear to handle it. Tech Air has a facility in Long Island City in Queens. We are only about 7 minutes from there if you drive like the wheels are on fire. Steal it if you have to, I don't care." Baez takes off for the BDU truck and is gone. "Charlie, I need you to get your hands on about 10 pounds of dry ice. I don't care where you get it from just go...now." Charlie retraces Baez's steps and he is out the door.

Rick walks over to Smitty. "Paul, here's what we are going to do. When those guys get back with what I need, I am going to flood this plate with the first canister of liquid nitro. While that's cooling, I will head down to the basement and pack the dry ice around the breaker box and the last step will be using the remaining canister to flood the breaker box. The dry ice should render the TATP dormant and the liquid nitro should slow the digital timer for about 20 seconds in our favor. And with the liquid nitro being pumped in the two locations that should buy us another 10 to 15 seconds"

Smitty has just one question and Rick knows what it is.

"Rick, you can't sacrifice yourself. If you're bucking for sainthood, you stupid son of a bitch, you've got to believe in a god first." Smitty shook his head, knowing that it was a hopeless argument. "You and I both know that the only way that this will work will be if there is someone down in the basement, ready to cut the lead that arms the plate."

"Paul, while being a saint could be kind of cool I have no intention of sacrificing myself." Rick smiles his cocky world-conquering grin. "After I set up the cooling countermeasures, you need to be ready to run for the hills."

Rick turns and waits for Baez and Charlie on the stoop. Charlie returns first with the dry ice. While he waits for Baez he thinks about what Paul just said. He does know that this is a one-way job and he will gladly give his life to save another. He closes his eyes and he sees his daughter and silently asks for her forgiveness. The irony in the situation is that Paul would do the same exact thing if the roles were reversed. Drawn out of his thoughts Charlie tells him that Baez is back. Rick swallows his feelings and takes the N2 from Baez. He puts on the gear to handle the gas and once in position, starts flooding the plate with it. Grabbing the dry ice and the other canister of N2 he starts towards the basement.

He is stopped at the top of the stairs when he hears Paul ask, "Brothers forever?

Rick turns back before he descends, the time for humor past, but gives Smitty a confident grin nonetheless and with a nod of his head, he confirms, "Yeah: brothers forever."

Rick packs the dry ice around the breaker box. When that is done he takes the N2 canister and points the nozzle directly at the box. He opens the valve and the gas starts to flow around the box. While that is doing its job, he starts to gear up in the EOD suit. Placing the helmet on last, he takes one last look at the N2. It is doing the job nicely. He removes the cutting pliers from his pouch and walks to the other end of the basement. Raising his arm up to the leads he calls up to Smitty. Radios can't be used because they operate on a frequency that could possibly set off the bomb.

"Paul, are you ready?" Rick yells.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replies.

"Is everyone from the unit and support personnel clear?"

"Been clear Rick, just cut the damn lead already!"

"Alright, we go on a 3 count..." Smitty tries to control his breathing while he waits for the count.

"1...2...3"

Rick relies on his training and experience to make the decision and cuts the black lead. He feels the blood drain from his face the second he severs the lead as the plate re-arms without warning.

"Shit," he curses through clenched teeth. All he has time to do is drop his arms and head before the ammo box detonates in a fireball and takes out the first and second floors of the house. Then, less than 6 seconds later the 11 pounds of TATP in the breaker box detonates. It is so powerful that it blows a crater into the basement that would rival one of the moon's craters. Two adjoining houses are also heavily damaged as well as windows being shattered for more than a half mile away.

The BDU team watched as Smitty ran out the front door of his home. He only had about 5 seconds to get to some type of cover. They hoped that he would make it. When the ammo box blew, he was just hitting the front porch and the concussion of the blast shot him forward through the air. He landed hard on the street. Charlie ran over and hauled him behind a parked patrol unit. Getting as small as they could, they waited for the worst. Less than 2 seconds later the whole area shook. Night became day as the second explosion detonated.

The second blast could be felt in southern Manhattan, Queens and as far away as Jersey City, and could be seen for 2 miles in any direction. No one could hear a thing. Slowly the first responders started to get to their feet. Cops were assisting people who mostly had cuts and lacerations thanking god that they pulled back to a safer distance. Charlie and Smitty got up and looked for Baez. After finding him, Charlie looks to Smitty for a sign of hope for Rick. Smitty just hung his head. Since what was left of his house was now a crime scene, the yellow police tape went up along with the barriers.

Sadly, they began a recovery mission rather than a rescue. They all knew that Rick would have never survived the magnitude of the blast. Deciding to wait until the FDNY extinguished all the small fires that had ignited around the scene, Charlie and Baez changed into their dreaded Ty-vex suits. Receiving the okay from the fire department, they slowly and methodically start to collect evidence. They are about an hour into the job when a shaken but determined Smitty joins them after having left the hospital against medical advice, too impatient to linger and instead anxious to help search for the remains of his friend. It's the only way to honor him, now.

Forty minutes prior to detonation...

Daniel had a front row seat to the show. He was still tapped into the security system in the house. He watched Rick's every move. He had anticipated just about everything he did. The icing on the cake was that he could see that Rick thought he could save both Smitty and himself. His last and final surprise was going to take Rick out. While he had set up the plate to activate when the power lead was cut, the internal separate power supply would re-activate the plate. It would not matter which lead you cut, neither of them would disable the bomb. He watched as Rick used the by-the-book counter measures anticipated his every move and he knew that they would do him no good.

He watched as Rick adjusted the nozzle on the second canister of N2 to point directly at the breaker box and then Rick looked over to the unused portion of the basement. Uncertain at what had his attention he shrugged it off when Rick fell out of the monitors view. Within seconds, Rick was back in front of the camera. Daniel watched as he walked over to the ammo box getting ready to raise his arms to cut the lead that would disarm the plate. Watching as Rick cut the lead, he noticed in the split second before the explosion that the look on his face had changed drastically. Daniel delighted when Rick realized the he had cut the wrong lead. He watched as Rick dropped his arms down lowered his head and closed his eyes...praying maybe?

The first explosion knocked out the camera, but before it died, it gave him one last shot of his childhood friend, Patrick O'Farrell. In his heart, it saddened him that it had to come to this, but all of it had been his own doing. If he had just listened to what they had asked of him all those years ago then he would not be dead now. Having taken an eye for an eye, he felt somewhat vindicated, although nothing would ever replace the lives of his father, mother, and sister. He meticulously removed any evidence that he had ever been in the safe house. He would move on and relocate, but stay in the U.S., eventually giving the boys in the BDU unit something more to keep them busy, but for now he would become a recluse.

When he came to, it was like there was an elephant sitting on his chest. It was pitch black. He could not see anything and the only sound was a persistent low register hum, like heavy construction equipment rolling across a demolished building. 'When or if he ever got out of this mess he was going to give Smitty a great big kiss,' he thought. 'He was literally a lifesaver,' He sobered, 'that is if Smitty had made it.' After he set up the N2 in the fake breaker box, he spotted his escape plan: a slim chance if things went wrong: opposite the washer and dryer Smitty had a 72" tall 48" deep gun safe. He was always talking about going to the range and as if luck was in his favor, Smitty had left the safe doors open. After he cut the black lead he dropped his arms and head, stood there and closed his eyes. The ammo box was positioned so that most of the blast damage would or should be projected in an upwards direction. Therefore, if it detonated, his EOD suit would take most of the concussion and flames doing its job and keeping him alive.

He just did not count on it happening so quickly though. The blast catapulted him backwards and into the safe and he had just enough time to close one of the doors. He was not quite fast enough to close the remaining door before the second blast hit, turning almost everything in the workshop into a high-speed projectiles. Right before the safe door slammed shut, shrapnel from the washer or dryer had targeted him and struck home as swiftly as a Patriot missile. It had penetrated the EOD suit and buried itself in his chest.

His hope was that the squad had begun to collect the evidence and would find him soon. That would be the only way he would survive. The safe was airtight, sealed shut from the force of the blast and he figured that he had about 2 hours of breathing air when the doors closed. He just hoped that they would get to him in time.

Smitty limps to the edge of the huge crater that had once been his house. Everything he had owned was either completely destroyed or spread over a debris field. As he looked in the hole he noticed the safe. It was on its side and the front was scorched and dented, but it had survived. He had hoped his weapons had too.

As he starts to move towards the massive hole, he suddenly stops and turns at the sound of screeching tires. He looks for the source of the noise. As the car comes to a stop, a tall woman jumps from the driver's seat. Hell, he even thinks the car was still rolling when she jumped out of it. She seems to be on a mission. She looks shocked by the devastation all around her. She is scanning for someone and then quickly walks towards him.

Flashing her shield, she speaks, hoping to keep the worry out of her voice. "I'm looking for Lieutenant Castle. Have you seen him?"

Smitty's face turns somber as he shakes his head sadly and says, "Ma'am I have not, and by the look of things, I don't think that we will."

Kate looks into the crater. There had to be a chance that he might have lived through the blast. She was now determined to look for him, too.

"Sir, what's your name?"

"My name is Paul, but my friends call me Smitty. Officer Smith, ma'am."

"Paul: my name is Kate Beckett. I'd like to help out."

"Kate, while I would love to have help, Homicide detectives generally don't have the necessary training for collecting evidence at a blast site." Paul replied in an defeated tone.

"Actually Paul, that's not true."

Smitty looked at her with a shocked look on his face. Looking at her again he decided to ask her what she meant.

"I worked with Lieutenant Castle at the scene on 16th street."

A look of discovery crossed Smitty's face. "So you're the Kate he was talking about."

"He talked about me?"

"He did, nonstop for the past few days. Truly, we were getting sick and tired of it. The only break we got from him was when he went home."

Kate looks to her feet standing in the rubble and asks, "So Paul, please?"

"First, you call me Smitty. If you worked with Ricky, then you were trained the right way. Hell yeah, I could use all the help that you can give."

Kate tries to think of the job at hand, not Castle's lopsided grin. She still has hope and she'll hold onto it until she learns differently. Suited up, she meets Smitty, Baez and Charlie back at the blast site. Just like Rick had done, Smitty divided the basement into a grid. They all had an area to scour through and having a solid game plan in place, they got to their grim work.


	7. Chapter 7

Kate, Smitty, Baez, and Charlie were stood in what was left of his basement. Most of the emergency personnel had left already with the exception of one ambulance and crew, standing by just in case, since the four of them were still at the scene. The team had decided to divide the detonation site into four equal parts. Kate had the section closest to the stairway while being the furthest away from the safe.

They worked soberly and silently, as there was a shared thought on everyone's mind: Rick Castle. Kate recalled the point that Mary Anne had made earlier in the day, that he would give his life for another. The woman's litany replayed in her head a thousand times and a thousand times Kate shoved the emotions back into a beat up, tatty box in the corner of her mind. They had been working for about forty-five minutes and all they had to show for it were a couple of small pieces of the ammo box and six parts of the titanium pressure plate no bigger than the size of a shirt button.

Rick pressed the backlight button on his watch. He sighed heavily when he realized that his two-hour oxygen limit had been reached. He wouldn't last much longer. The pain in his chest seemed numb to him now, a dull ache had replaced the sharpness. He could feel the blood from his injury had pooled and begun to cake around his back, into his sleeves and his breathing was more difficult. He had tried not to move and exacerbate the wound in his chest, but the pressure kept increasing.

Smitty kept replaying the grin and promise Rick gave of 'Brothers forever' just before he disarmed the booby-trapped device. He needed a break. He stood up and stretched his sore back from being on his hands and knees. He walked over to the wreckage of the mangled safe, and just for the hell of it, wanted to see if the combination could still work the door open. Seeing the damage the safe had endured, it amazed him that the dial had still spun. Drawing the combination from his memory, he turned the dial to the correct numbers. Since the safe was lying on its left side, Smitty turned the handle on the right side door and lifted it up. What he expected to see is a pile of automatic weapons, ammunition, and a couple of handguns thrown around the inside, he found a green EOD suit wrapped around the body of Rick Castle.

Smitty stared, dumbfounded. He expected to return Rick to his daughter in a matchbox and seeing him momentarily shocked him. "Holy shit," he whispered, "Rick? God damned son of a bitch, Rick!" He turned to the others, "help… ah shit," he dropped the door in his excitement. "Charlie, Baez. The son of a bitch survived it." The team stopped working and ran over to the safe. They helped Smitty lift the door once again. It really was a miracle. Baez found a piece of pipe to prop up the right door of the safe. Smitty reached into the safe and took Rick's wrist to feel for a pulse.

Kate stood anxiously out of the way of his partners.

"I've got a pulse! It's weak and thready, but a pulse," he proclaimed. Not only did the find Rick, but he was alive.

Kate gasped and her eyes went wide when Smitty's withdrew his blood-covered hand. "Smitty, he's injured. We need to get him out of there now."

Smitty cursed, "Shit," and then just glanced at his partner.

"On it," Charlie yelled as he ran away.

Kate, anxious to get save him, looked him over, but could only see half of his body because of the way the safe had landed in the dirt. She reached into the safe to pull him out, but just as she was about to grab his arms, Smitty stopped her.

Fighting his hold on her she said, "Let me go, Smitty: we need to get him out of there!"

"Kate while I agree with you, Rick was thrown from where the ammo box was and into that safe. If we try to move him before the EMTs check him out we could possibly do more damage. We don't know what kind of…"

Kate relented; the wisdom of Smitty's reasoning reaching the logical part of her brain. She still felt Rick's pulse under her hand and she was not going to let go. She wasn't utilizing the logical part of her brain and held onto him like her life depended on it. Her breathing matched his shallow rhythm: kindred and she felt that if she kept breathing, so would he. It wasn't logical or even probably, but she kept it up as if she could control his tenuous hold on life.

The EMT knelt down beside her. "Detective, I'm Blake; what do we have here?"

Kate sighed and then with the tech's use of her title, she snapped back to crime scene mode and replied, "Male, mid-forties, blunt force trauma, his pulse is weak and he's having trouble breathing."

Blake looked into the safe and cringed. "You need to let go of him, I've got this." She protests, but logic resurfaces for a moment and she moved to stand with his men, watching Blake remove his helmet. Careful not to injure him further, he supports Rick's head as he wraps his neck in a cervical collar. He rechecked his patient's pulse and sighed because it's a little bit fainter. Assessing the condition of the EOD suit, the EMT can only see the left side of Rick. He pulls out the O2 canister and takes the facemask from it and places it on Ricks face. He secures the elastic band around his head as the second EMT arrived with a backboard and stretcher. They try to slide the backboard in behind Rick while he's still in the safe. After about a minute of struggling they abandon that approach and decide to remove him from the bottom, through the buckled floor of the safe and then slide him onto the board.

They all help and when he is finally pulled from the safe, the EMTs got to work. The initial assessment became a shocking exaggeration of what not to expect. Protruding about four inches out of the EOD suit was a nasty looking splintered piece of steel. The EMTs looked at each other, both wondering if the suit he was wearing was strong enough the keep it from completely going through his body. They strapped Rick into the backboard and as they started to take the backboard to the waiting stretcher, Rick inhaled with such force they all thought that he was having more trouble breathing. Just as quickly as he inhaled he went passive once again. He never opened his eyes. Kate and Smitty had walked with him all the way to the waiting ambulance and when they attempted to enter Blake told them that they could not ride along. The back doors shut and the rig was speeding down the street. Kate stared as it departed until Smitty placed his hand on her shoulder. They still had work to do.

They secured the crime scene with haste. They could finish combing the rest of the wreckage once they knew about Rick's condition. He was their top priority. They had taken him to Brookdale Medical Center. It had the best trauma center in Brooklyn. When they arrived, they were guided to the surgical nurses' station. Luck was on their side when a blond haired mid-thirties looking nurse seeing the concern on their faces gave them the information they needed and directed to the waiting room. Baez and Charlie were wearing a hole in the tiled floor by pacing back and forth. Smitty and Kate sat on hard plastic chairs...waiting for news.

After he had collected his own thoughts and feelings, Smitty looked at Kate and noticed that her pallor was as white as a ghost.

"Kate what's wrong? Are you all right?"

"Smitty: what about his daughter? She has no idea where he is or what happened to him. Do you have her cell or home number?"

"I do; let me pull it from my contacts." Smitty took out his phone and within seconds Kate was calling Rick's daughter. With everything that had happened he completely forgot about her. While the call is trying to connect, Kate leaned over and keeping her voice low, asked Smitty what his daughter's name is in a whisper. He tells her just as the call connects.

"Hello," Alexis promptly answers.

"Alexis?"

"Yes, who…"

"I'm Detective Beckett from the twelfth precinct. Are you alone?"

"Actually, I am. I was studying…The twelfth? Did something happen to my dad?"

"Alexis, your dad was out on a job and there was an explosion. Your dad was injured. I know things sound bad, but he survived. He's in surgery and in very good hands."

A thousand thoughts ran through Alexis's mind. She automatically fears the worst. Seconds pass and Kate thinks that the call has disconnected. She is not making a sound.

"Alexis are you there?"

"Yes, I'm sorry Detective. Wait, are you Kate?"

"I am. How did you know that?"

"Dad was talking about you all last night." Kate wondered what Rick told his daughter. "I…I should come there."

"Alexis, I have a better idea. Can you get a couple of things together for an overnight stay?"

"Yeah, but why?" She questioned.

"While I don't really know you that well, I know your dad and I'd hate for you to stay home alone tonight. I will come over, pick you up and I'll make sure that you will be able to stay with your dad in his room."

"Okay Kate, I'll get a couple of things ready for tonight."

"Great Sweetie; I will be there in about 30 minutes."

"Okay, I'll see you then. Wait Kate... do you know where we live?"

"Yeah, Alexis I have that covered."

Kate hangs up and walks over to Rick's BDU team and explains what she wants to do. They all agree that Alexis would be better off here with her dad and Kate leaves for Rick's apartment.

As she drove, Kate thought about how awkward her first encounter with Alexis could be. Besides what she had learned in Castle's file, she knows little about the girl, her relationship with her dad, her hopes or dreams. Dreams: her breath caught as she repeated the word, having realized that the girl probably has more nightmares than dreams after what happened to her mom. Kate has them about her mom. Then she thinks that she might be intruding, she being the outsider. Then there is also the buried, selfish thought that if things go well with Alexis she could possibly explore a closer relationship with Rick. He touched her heavy heart in some way that she couldn't explain and hadn't allowed anyone near for so long.

Alexis waited on the front sidewalk when Kate pulled up. She walked to the car and opened the door. "Kate?" Alexis asked.

"Yes, Alexis, I'm Kate. Sorry about the confusion."

Unsure of what to say, Alexis stuck with manners. "It's nice to meet you, Kate."

"Likewise," Kate said, smiling awkwardly as she predicted.

Sliding into the passenger seat after she placed her bag in the back seat, she fastened her seat belt and looked at Kate. Her dad did his description of her no justice: Kate was gorgeous. Maybe that's why he did not to talk about her that morning when she went into school late. She needed to ask the serious questions before she started to work on his love life.

"So, what can you tell me about my dad?"

Not wanting to sugar coat it, Kate told her the truth. "Alexis, I'm not a doctor. With that said your dad is a very smart man. He had an escape plan in place before he even before he cut the wires on that the bomb."

Alexis looked at Kate questioningly. "So, he's okay?"

Kate held her breath for a second or two before exhaling. "Yes and no. He needed surgery and when the bomb blew, it sent shards and chunks of debris flying around the basement. Unfortunately a large piece of metal struck your dad, piercing the protective gear he was wearing and caused a lot of damage to his upper chest area, but he's alive and in surgery now."

Alexis looked at Kate with a serious face and said, "thank you for telling me the truth."

Kate looked back at the teenager and said sincerely, "you deserve to know the truth."

They spent the rest of the ride in silence, lost in their own thoughts. They pulled up to the emergency room entrance and Kate quickly parks.

Kate needed to tell Alexis although she is unsure how that she will be here for her. "Alexis, hold on a sec okay?"

Alexis looked toward the emergency room doors, but waits where she stands. Kate rounded the back of the car quickly and stopped directly in front of her.

Drawing up the willpower to start, Kate places her hand on the young girl's forearm. "Alexis, I am going to tell you that while your dad was injured in the explosion, I'm not sure how badly he was hurt. He will most likely still be in surgery, and if you need someone to lean on I'll be right at your side."

"Kate, just tell me everything will be fine."

"I wish I could, but you know that we need to be realistic. I am hoping for the best."

Alexis looks at Kate with a confident look and reaches out to pat Kate's hand. Sliding their hands together, Alexis turns towards with the ER doors, her heart and head just a little more positive.

Smitty is the first to recognize her red mane. It's hard to miss. He strides up to her and draws her into a bear hug. Alexis welcomes the embrace, but only with one arm. That's because her other hand is still locked with Kate's and she won't let it go. Breaking from the hug the rest of the team welcomes the duo. After greetings, the team returns back to their spots awaiting any news about Rick.

Kate gently tugged Alexis towards the chairs that face the doors to the operating theater. They get as comfortable as they can for the long wait. Hours have passed and what seemed like an eternity suddenly comes to a quick end.

"Richard Castle's family?" The doctor still dressed in his purple scrubs asks.

Smitty stands and answers, "That would be all of us, but this is his daughter."

As he answers, Alexis rises from the chair. She immediately questioned him, "Doctor is my dad okay?"

The doctor looked at the adults for permission and then began, "Miss Castle, I'll admit it was touch and go for a while, but after finding how extensive his injuries were we had a solid plan in place to perform the procedure and pull him through. But be warned there is still the possibility that things could still happen, infection, complications. We will have to monitor him for the next twenty-four hours. After which, barring any complications, he will be in the clear."

Alexis squeezed Kate's hand a little harder after hearing the prognosis. Alexis then noticed the doctor's exposed scrubs under his white coat and sees blood...lots of it and drops her gaze to the floor. Kate, having questions of her own squeezed Alexis's hand in response.

"Doctor, how bad was it?"

"The piece of steel that was embedded in his chest did the most damage. The edges were more like barbs and caused more tears coming out than it did going in. As a result, he also had four broken ribs and a collapsed lung. All in all, considering what he'd been through and where he was injured, he's lucky. The injury that concerns me the most, however, is his chest wound."

"Are we able to see him yet?" Kate asked and the team suddenly crowded around the doctor. He was startled at the sudden presence of all of them, but recovered and said, "He is still recovering from the surgery and the anesthetic along with medications will be keeping him under for the next four to six hours. He is stable for the time being, but you are welcome to sit with him, two at a time, if you want." The doctor asked if there are any other questions before he turned and left.

Charlie and Smitty told Kate to take Alexis and go see Rick first. They assured her that they would go when they got back. Grateful, Kate walked with Alexis toward Rick's room. They reached his door and were hesitant, not knowing what they might see when they opened the door. Kate looked at Alexis and they both push the door open at the same time. Kate is the first to see him and she hated what she saw. Beside her Alexis groaned. They ventured further into the room and there are all types of machines hooked up to that monitor his condition.

Alexis reluctantly released Kate's hand to takes her father's. He doesn't move. Kate slides the chair up for her and she sits. She backed away and leaned against the wall, giving Alexis privacy with her father. Kate felt like she was intruding. Watching Alexis fervently hoping for him to pull through makes her think about what she wants. She has been alone for far too long. She thought that she had Rick all figured out, but she was wrong. He has a past, but it is his past. Everyone has things in their past that they aren't willing to share, but his past could end up killing him one day. If they become closer, they will need to have a serious talk.

Kate looked at her watch: their fifteen minutes were up far too quickly. She tapped Alexis's shoulder and told her that it's time to go. They left his room and met his team back in the waiting area.

"So, how is he?" Charlie asked.

"He looks…okay." Alexis responded, tentatively. Kate pressed her lips close to her teeth.

Charlie understood her unspoken answer. "Kate, Smitty and I are going to go and see him."

"I'm going to take Alexis home. Maybe we'll stop to grab a bite to eat."

"That's a great idea." Charlie smiled reassuringly.

They turned to leave when Kate tossed out, "Charlie, we'll see you in the morning."

It had been a long and tiring day. Both Kate and Alexis were exhausted. Each had one thing on their mind and yet they both seemed too afraid to ask.

"Alexis, would you want to stay with me tonight?"

"Kate, actually I'd love to. I don't really want to go back to an empty apartment.

"Great, then it's settled. But first we will stop at Remy's for a bite to eat."

"Remy's?" Alexis questioned.

Kate scoffed, "Don't tell me that you have never been to Remy's! And your dad calls himself a cop."

Alexis half smiled. "Nope, never heard of the place."

"Well, then you're in for a treat then."

Pulling up to Remy's, they got out of the car and stepped inside the joint. The wait staff was busy, running around in all different directions. The tables are mostly set up for two, but there are at least five set up for more. The place is bustling with activity, but welcoming. It's obviously a cop hangout and Alexis feels a little out of place as they waited for their server. Wanting to fill the awkward silence, Alexis asked, "What do you think about my dad?"

Kate was caught off guard and a little embarrassed by the question, but recovered quickly. "Oh, well, I'd say that he is...interesting, to say the very least."

Alexis thought about how her dad needed to move on and that maybe, given how infatuated he seemed with her that this woman could be the best thing for him. As she looked around the small restaurant, she could see that is just like a family. Everyone's helping with most of the serving, seating and cleaning up the tables. It's teamwork and she steeled herself to ask Kate another question.

"Kate, can I ask you if there is anyone in your life right now?" Kate realized exactly what Alexis was doing. She was playing match maker. If it weren't cute, it'd be funny. So, she hesitated for a couple of seconds until she saw worry starting to form on Alexis' face.

"Actually, I haven't seen anyone for a while now." Kate knew that Alexis would most likely divulge her motives. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, I was thinking about my dad. When he's better…I mean, when he gets out of the hospital…don't get me wrong, I am not one to meddle in his love life, especially after he told me not to, but he is hurting. He's been alone since...he needs someone who will help him through..." Alexis looked at the table. "He is not the type of person who wants to have a meaningless affair. He needs someone who he can talk to, someone who cares."

And there it is, Kate thinks.

"Alexis, I think I could get to know your dad. He's selfless and has shown other qualities I like in a man. His personality and the way he puts people first in any given situation appeal to me. So, I think it's safe to say that yes, I am hoping that we, I mean me and your dad can at least have a shot at becoming something more."

As Kate looked at her across the table all she saw was a shy smile on the little matchmaker's face.

Alexis looked away, knowing that she had been caught. She took a sip of her shake and declared, "Kate, I think this is the best shake that I have ever had!"

Kate smiled. "See what you've been missing."

"Now I do." She made a mental note to return here with her dad soon. With their meal finished, Kate paid the check and Alexis thanked her for the dinner many times.

"Alexis stop thanking me, it was my pleasure. Let's head out okay?"

"Okay, Kate."

Alexis left a sizable tip on the table with the bill. She insisted since Kate bought dinner.

Arriving at Kate's place, Alexis was glad to see that she lived in a secure building. Kate slipped the key into the lock and opened the door. Alexis saw immediately that Kate surrounded herself with comfort. Brightly painted walls, abstract paintings of landscapes and beaches adorn the walls, and cozy mis-matched furniture completes her decor. Kate placed her keys and bag down on the kitchen island and turned to Alexis.

"I have a spare bedroom at the top of the stairs. I just need to make up the bed with fresh sheets." Alexis nodded. Ten minutes later the bed is made, Alexis is in some sleepwear and brushing her teeth in the bathroom. She came out to find Kate in the room at the foot of the bed.

"I'll be right down on the first floor. If you need anything just call me. Don't worry about waking me; I am a very light sleeper. So I'll leave you to it."

"Kate...thanks for doing this for me."

"Oh, Alexis it's nothing really. I'm glad to see this room put to good use...good night sweetie."

"Good night Kate, and thanks again."

Kate crawled under the sheets and relaxed after a long, tiring and worrisome day, looking forward to the next six hours of sleep. However, her phone startled her from her sleep. The hospital called and while she is not fully awake it sounded like they said Rick was awake and alert. Telling the nurse that she and Alexis will be there within the hour, she glanced at the clock radio on her nightstand: 5:08 am. She bolted happily from the bed to the spare bedroom to wake up Alexis. Showered and dressed they are armed both with travel mugs of coffee and headed for the door.

The hospital parking lot was nearly empty and they parked quickly. They checked in with the nurse and were assured that he was still awake and had even asked for something to eat. Kate asked Alexis to wait a moment and assured her that she would be right back.

Rushing away she had an idea. Taking the elevator to the first floor she found the gift shop. Before long she had her sights set on a light brown teddy bear. Buying it, she asked the clerk for a blue bow to wrap around the bears neck. Thanking her for the bear, she returned to Alexis. Hoping Alexis is still waiting for her; she made it back to the floor. Alexis's eyes became wide as she guesses for whom Kate bought the gift. Kate smiled and linked her arm with Alexis' and they headed for his room.

Quietly, they opened the door and entered together. Rick looked up when he heard the door open and saw Alexis first. The smile on his face surpassed anything Kate has ever seen on him before. He couldn't quite see who was behind his daughter, but as Kate moved into the room, his smile started to fade. Alexis noticed the change immediately. Kate did as well. Her shoulders droop and the bear, forgotten, fell to the floor. Kate turned to leave, but Alexis tried to grab for her, but was too late. Rick's face turned from sad to distrusting when she left.

 **A/N 1: My apologies for being late with this chapter.  
** **A/N 2: I am going to have to update this story when I am able to. Work has taken a turn for being a lot more time consuming. 15 hour days really prevent me from writing. I will post new chapters, but I will need to break the weekly update schedule. I am really sorry.**


	8. Chapter 8

Alexis just looks at the stuffed teddy bear lying on the floor. Picking it up, she walks over to her dad's bedside. She is so upset with him; lynching comes to mind. She would have never imagined that he could be so heartless.

She just stares at him for a while gathering her thoughts before she speaks. "Who in the hell do you think you are?"

Rick is caught off guard by her inappropriate behavior. As he lifts his head to look at her he sees that she has turned a bright shade of red.

Knowing that he might have overstepped, he opens his mouth to speak. "Alexis what are you talking about? Why would you say that? Last time I checked, I'm still your father; that's who the hell I think I am!"

"Dad, why did you just put her down like that? Do you know that she worked the bombsite while you were trapped in that damned safe? That she is the one person who treated me as a friend when I needed someone the most? She even had the compassion to ask me to stay with her last night so that I'd feel secure and loved?"

Rick's chin touched his chest. He never would have thought that the detective would go to such lengths and do any of that. Thinking back to their first meeting he surmised that she was closed off and was a by-the-book cop. She was hiding something, what he does not know. What if he had made a mistake.

"Dad, I'm so angry with you right now. How could you undo all the good she has done with one hateful look on your face? Seriously Dad, I think that it's time for you to take your head out of your ass and look at what's right in front of you!"

Alexis storms out of the room still holding the teddy bear close to her chest. She needs to find Kate and apologize to her for her father's stupidity. She stops in the center of the hallway and looks both left and right before she spots Kate sitting on the floor behind some seats directly in front of her. She cautiously walks over to her trying not to startle her.

In a timid voice she says, "Kate, are you okay?"

She takes the time to think before answering her. Looking up to her, Alexis sees the tears that have been trailing down Kate's cheeks. "I've had better days."

"Kate I'm going to be brutally honest here and you need to answer this with a yes or a no."

"Okay."

"Are you in love with my dad?"

Without any hesitation she answers, "Yes, I am."

Alexis drops to her knees and draws Kate into a hug along with the bear. Alexis knows that Kate is a strong woman and her dad has a stubborn way about him and they will clash, but if they look beyond that she thinks that they could share a life together and be happy.

They sit there like that for a while. Having lost the feeling in her ass Kate motions for Alexis to get up. Without knowing it they start walking to the cafe for a cup of coffee and maybe something to eat.

Alexis hands Kate back the teddy bear and Kate just smiles. "He's yours; I did not want to give it to my dad because he was being a jerk."

"Thanks, sweetie."

Hesitation floods her mind. "Kate you need to understand something. Dad is still hurting, even after all this time. He lost the one thing he loved the most in this world and since then he put everything into the job. This way if he kept doing that he thought he'd never hurt again."

"Alexis I can see why he did that. Not so long ago I had a similar situation. I don't really let it control me that much anymore but I do think about from time to time. When I was nineteen my mom was murdered. At first it was hard for me, but after seeing a therapist she had shown me that life does go on. It's okay to think about it from time to time but letting it control you won't do anyone any good.

Rick waits for the door to swing open revealing his daughter. It seems that he is in for a long wait. It's been twenty minutes and she still has not returned. Figuring that she is not coming back, his eyelids grow heavy and he slips into a sleep, exhausted from the day's events. Then his mind dreams back to years ago. The love he felt with Sarah was one no one could replace. They were a happy family, they had Alexis and they made sure that she was loved, and cared for, but when Sarah died; his heart was shattered into pieces. He has been guarding what was left of it ever since. He was not interested in giving it to another, because he would not risk it being broken once again. Sure he was attracted to Kate, but once he did actually consider them as more then friends, the worst would happen again. He would lose her too. He could not take the risk. He was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Kate, please just come in with me. I'll show you that he is just protecting himself from anymore heart break."

"Alexis, I'm not too sure that's such a good idea."

"Kate, why would you say that?"

"Alexis, I love him. I'm not trying to take your moms place, but I think that he thinks

"Kate do you hear yourself? Dad won't think that. Let's just get in there and you can see for yourself."

They open the door and they see Rick sleeping soundly. That is what they think until they get closer to the bed. His breathing is rapid and fatigued at the same time and he has a band of sweat covering his forehead. What they hear him say stuns them both. They can't believe their ears...

"Kate, baby don't worry, I'll save you. Just give me a second so I can save our daughter."

Kate and Alexis look at each other silently.

"No I promise just one more second...there I got it. Kate I'm coming. Just please don't move!"

Kate and Alexis watch, as he is moving in his bed like he is running. Almost like a dog would do when they dream.

"Kate I'm almost there, just hold on! Only a couple more...NOOOOOOO! Oh my god...Oh my god...Kate, please no, no, no... This can't be happening, please god no..."

As they watch him recount the last moments with his wife, Kate backs up slowly. Alexis looks to where Kate was, not seeing her. She turns fully and looks at her glassed-over, wet eyes.

"Kate..."

"Alexis what does this mean? I don't understand; your dad has always been so guarded with his feelings. Why did he use my name instead of Sarah's? Should we wake him? Kate asks in a whispered voice. "I'm not sure that I will like the answers if we do."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, either. Let's wait until he wakes up on his own and keep what we heard him say to ourselves."

Kate nods in agreement.

It's about four hours later and they have been sitting in the chairs passing the time reading the latest supermarket checkout tabloids. Rick starts to move a little and Alexis takes his hand and squeezes it tightly.

Alexis calls to him "Dad, are you feeling any better?"

"Alexis, wha...why are you still here?" he asks looking up at the wall clock.

"Dad we need to talk. Are you awake enough to do that?" Alexis asks, hoping that he is.

Rick looks at his daughter and Kate. He knows that they came here for an apology, but for the life of him he can't understand why they would be waiting until two in the morning to hear it. His daughter is determined if anything.

He is just about to speak when Alexis asks him, "Dad, do you love Kate? Or do you at least like her?" Rick looks into Kate's hazel green eyes and is mesmerized by them. So much so that he forgot the question. Kate however looks at Alexis. This was not what they had planned to do.

"Dad? Do you have an answer?"

"Alexis please don't treat me like a child. And I am still angry with you regarding your comments earlier." Kate gives Alexis a questioning look.

"I'll explain later Kate."

Then Rick whispers under his breath so low that when they strained and they still could not hear his response.

"Dad, could you repeat that?"

In a normal, but quiet and almost ashamed voice he replies "Alexis it's not that simple. I can't risk losing her too. You have no idea of what he is capable. My life is one thing, but yours and Kate's? I'm sorry Pumpkin, but the risk is too great."

"Dad, what in the hell are you talking about?"

Kate looks at Alexis and shrugs her shoulders. Hoping Rick would continue with his explanation of why he can't love her.

"Alexis, can I have some time alone with Kate please?"

"Not on your life dad. Whatever you are going to say to her, I have a right to know about it too. I am just as much a part of this as she is." She looks to Kate, who agrees.

"Well in that case, this is going to be a long answer."

Kate and Alexis get comfortable in the chairs.

"Kate, this is a tale that could end up getting you hurt. Alexis has the right to know, but you can get up and walk away, there will be no hard feelings from me, I'll understand your decision.

Kate glances at Alexis and tells him, "Rick I think you are worth the risk"

His smile is wide and toothy. So he starts his tale.

"I grew up in Ireland. It was a time when there was nothing to keep me out of trouble. I had a friend named Colin. He was my best friend. We were together from childhood until we were about nineteen. We did everything together. However, there is a downside to having a friend like Colin. He was different, withdrawn after they tried to kill his dad. After the attempt his father survived only by timing; he was not ready to leave work. Yet things had become a lot worse. You see Colin always was obsessed by things that could destroy anything by his hand. Be it chemical, a claymore mine, a hand grenade or the worst; plastic explosives."

"Rick who are they?" Kate asks, not knowing the answer.

"They are the Irish Republican Army."

Kate just looked at him, not knowing what to say. She recalled Mary Anne telling her that he was a citizen of two countries. And now some of the pieces were starting to fit together.

"So, while Colin and I had the same ideas and I was just as accomplished as he was when it came to building bombs, the IRA wanted me in their ranks and that's when everything changed. Colin told the IRA there was a good chance to get me to become one of their explosive experts. So they had placed all their faith in him. When he came to me with the offer, I told him that I wanted no part of the IRA or anything they stood for."

"Dad, why would he want that for you? I mean if you were so against it in the first place."

"Pumpkin, I think that is where he went a little crazy. After I refused the offer, the IRA escalated things a bit. It was a Saturday night and Colin wanted to go into town for something to eat and to pick up a book from the library. We went into town did what needed to be done and then came back home. It seems that the IRA wanted to make an example of him because he wasn't able to deliver me to them. While we were out, they blew up his family's home. No one survived."

Kate gasped, as did Alexis. Alexis had always thought that her dad had a past, but this was something she would have never imagined.

"It was only after Colin had buried his baby sister, mother and father that he went totally insane. And I mean insane in every sense of the word. He would purposely do things that could get him killed. Until one day he just stopped. He just shut down. He was in his aunt's house and he just sat on a chair in the kitchen just staring off at god knows what."

"He was committed about a week later and that's the last time I saw him...until yesterday that is."

Rick looked up from his position in the bed and made the statement that Kate will always remember.

"And THIS is why I can't allow myself to love you Kate, although I can see that my daughter already knows this. I can't expose you to whatever he has planned for me. It would be like me asking you to sign your own death warrant. This is something I would never forgive...I didn't before. If Colin ever finds out that I care about you, he will use it to his advantage. Kate, he is smart and I think much smarter than I am. While I have been trying to make a life for myself here and defusing bombs, he has been steadily becoming better. Testing new traps and using new types of explosives."

Kate has tears gliding down her cheeks and as she looks at Rick she wants to scream. This is not how this should be. She loves him and there has to be a way to solve this. She will think of something and they will be together.

"Dad, is this why he killed mom?"

"Alexis this is the only reason. If I know him as I hope I do, he would have had a failsafe on your vest that day. I don't think he would have ever taken you from me. But Mom, well he wanted me to feel his pain"

"I hate this guy already."

"As you should, Baby, as you should, but I need a promise from the both of you; there will be no going after him. He will not hesitate to take the both of you from me this time. He is out for revenge and there is only one way to stop him."

Kate knows exactly what Rick means. He will wage this war on his own, and there will be only one victor. Kate will help him behind his back of course and she will turn over what she finds to him. W he doesn't know can't hurt him...right? What Kate fails to recognize is how much that statement will come back to torment her later.

Since his surgery over a week ago the doctors have given him the okay to be discharged. Alexis arrives with clean jeans, an NYPD sweatshirt and underwear. They have been at his side since the bombing and he has tracked the progress of the investigation through Smitty. He is not 100% yet but he needs to be out there to help. His feelings for Kate have been growing steadily during their time together, no matter how much he fought them and while there is still the chance that she could be a target, he decided that life is short. With Alexis's approval he asked Kate out on a date and it's set for tomorrow night. It won't be anything but two people going out for a meal and great conversation.

He signs the discharge papers and patient transport is waiting with a wheel chair to take him to the door.

He looks at the chair and sighs. "So this is how I will be leaving here?"

"Rick, you know that it's hospital policy. So buck up and get into the chair," Kate says with a smile.

"Well with that smile how can I resist?"

"That's a good patient."

"Ex-patient, thank-you."

"Right. Let's get out of here."

As they leave the hospital they hail a cab to Rick's apartment. Alexis has been staying with Kate for the last week and a half. For this he is grateful. He never thought Kate would step up and take care of his little girl. He is discovering things about her that amaze him. Still, she's hiding a secret from him. It's not related to work, this much he can tell. No, it's more likely a personal issue. He has come clean with her about his past sins and he needs to find a way to make her feel safe enough to explain what she is hiding from him. He does not want any secrets between them.

They all enter the apartment and Kate and Alexis settle him on the love seat in his room. Kate throws a quick meal together for them and when she is satisfied that he has eaten something she decides that it's time for her to go so they can talk.

"Rick, Alexis, I'm going to leave now. I know that you two need to talk. I'll be at my place tonight. If you need anything, I'm only a phone call away. As she moves to collect her things, Alexis looks at her sadly.

Not knowing why she asks, "What's wrong, Alexis?"

"Kate don't leave. You can stay here tonight."

"Sweetie, there is nothing that would make me happier than staying with both of you tonight, but you two need to talk; really talk. I'll be back in the morning after I check in at the precinct. Make sure to keep an eye on him and give him his pain meds right before bedtime okay?"

Alexis nods and Kate turns to leave. Smiling as she does so.

As the door shuts Alexis asks, "Dad, can you tell me what we are going to do to catch Colin?"

"Honey, listen to me. I don't want you to do anything about Colin. The fact that you even know his name makes you a target. I am not going to lose you too."

Kate gets home and showers and dresses in her short shorts and an old Batman tee shirt. If Rick could only see her now! Sliding beneath the comforter she is quickly being claimed by exhaustion.

He can't believe it! That son of a bitch has 9 lives and he has used up 10! When he found out about Rick surviving, he set out to watch his room in the hospital. He could blend in anywhere. This time he was a janitor. He pushed the mop and bucket down the hall and it was just his luck that his daughter came out with a tall drink of water. So beautiful he thought. She was about 35 or 36 he guessed. He would need to keep an eye on her too, seeing that she knows Rick. He spent the last week just observing them. It seems that Rick has found someone new; he could tell as he looked at her that he had feelings for her, but he also thought that he was not quite there yet knowing that the game they played had just gone full throttle. So, this stopped him from committing to her with all his heart.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been 2 months since Smitty lost his house. Of course he had to fight with the insurance company about the coverage to replace it, now it seemed that they were just going to write off his claim citing that he was not covered for a terrorist act. He would win this fight. He was staying with Charlie and his family for this 2-week period. It was working out good. Every 2 weeks one member put him up and he was so very grateful to have friends like this.

Rick had physical therapy twice a week to get his upper body back into shape. He hated the fact that he was still not 100% yet. He was close, but there was the a feeling that he would never be where he was physically before the surgery. Kate had worked herself into their lives. Their dinner date went pretty well, they had a lot in common after they talked about each other. He learned what her secret was and he was saddened to learn that she lost her mother when she was young. That's the one thing that they had between each other. They both had lost some they loved.

Since the first dinner date, Kate was becoming more of a permanent fixture at his place. When she was at work and while he was still convalescing he decided to dive into finding Colin with both feet. He searched for his birth name and found that he was still actually in the psychiatric facility in Ireland. This did not make sense to him. How could he be in two places at once? He then ran his alias and found out that he entered the country through JFK and after that there was no record of him. Rick knew that he could elude the authorities and he was damn good at it. He was off the grid completely. Rick needed to track him and find him and put this game to an end once and for all.

Kate was not one to share. She was selfish when it came to Rick. She could see spending the rest of her life with him. She wanted to end this before he could second-guess her decision. She did not want to let Rick know that she had actually found out where Colin was tucked away. It had taken a numerous amount of phone calls to Interpol, Scotland Yard, and various police departments here in the U.S. and in the end it paid off. She found his hiding spot just after he destroyed Smitty's house. He thought he had cleaned up after himself so well, but Kate was determined to find something. She spent hours going over every inch of his workshop/living space so well that she knew what he ate for lunch the last time he was there. She found a partial receipt with a 718 area code and a partial phone number. She had pieced together that he had contacted a real estate broker and from there it was easy. He had rented a place in the Bronx. When she arrived at the address she just observed the building. She did not want him to know that she found him so she limited her time to just 30 minutes and then left.

She had come back at different times of the day and just sat there watching. Then about a week later all the watching was worth it. She was across the street and about 8 car lengths away from the building when she noticed him. His hair was shorter and he looked a lot older than he actually was, but it was him. She just wrote down what he was doing as he entered the building. He was carrying something that looked awkward. It was long and cylindrical. It looked to be about 3 feet long and 1.5 feet in diameter. She took a quick shot with her phone and then started the car and left.

Colin wondered if she knew that he knew she was watching him. He had given her enough breadcrumbs to get her to find him and now that she has, he will let out just enough rope to hang herself with. She is a smart one this Kate Beckett, but he has been just one-step ahead of her the entire time. She almost caught him two weeks ago and that was no one's fault but his own. He needed a special tool that only Ford sold so he ventured out to the local Ford dealer and bought it. On the way back he made the mistake of stopping at a cafe for a cup of coffee and before he could turn and hightail it out of there, she saw him. He played it off as just being another customer waiting in line for a cup of coffee. She eyed him and without a second thought she took her coffee and left. That was too close, he totally forgot the research he had done on her knowing that caffeine was a staple in her life.

Colin knew now that Rick and Kate were starting to become more serious with each passing day. She was at his apartment just about every night and stayed there until the early morning hours. The only time she was not there with him was usually on Thursday's. She met with her father for dinner at the suburban diner near his house. They talked, as they ate, no doubt talking about Rick and their growing relationship. Now after seeing her take his picture with her phone while he walked back home, all bets were off. He would see to it that Rick felt pain once more.

Kate knocked on the door to Rick's apartment. Tonight was going to be a movie marathon night and a quick bite to eat.

"Hi Kate, how are you?" Rick asked happily.

"Hey, Rick: I'm a lot better now." She entered past him stopped, turned and drew him into a hug: the full body kind the kind that she secretly loved to get from him. Her arms wrapped around his neck while his drew her into him from the waist. Standing there for just a minute they became lost in themselves. Not wanting it to end, Rick separates the hug when Kate asked, "Rick where is Alexis?"

"She told me that she was meeting a friend at the library to study for a test. Why do you ask?"

"So we will be all alone tonight?"

"Well if you mean alone as in minus my teenaged daughter, then yes. She is staying overnight with her friend after they get done studying."

An impish grin graces Kate's face. Rick can't help but become just a little nervous by the look she gives him. It has been a while since he has been with a woman in that way and now with the way she is looking at him, it seems like she wants to take things to the next level. His memories flash back to when he was a teen, trying to get up the courage to ask Sara out to the formal. He had failed miserably. He had no self-confidence when it came to women. Sure he could pull it off on the outside, but inside he was a wreck. Sara had realized this and she told him to pick her up at her house by 6:30. There was such a weight lifted off his shoulders that he walked home that day thinking how to dress and what to get Sara for their date.

Rick made popcorn with extra butter for their movie night. He lets her choose the movies and on the marquee for tonight's viewing pleasure were The Notebook and A Walk to Remember. To combat her chick flicks, Rick needed a testosterone-filled movie and decided on The Transporter 3.

They sat down on the couch with the bowl of popcorn between them and Rick hit play for the first Blue Ray/DVD. When it was over he had to admit that the movie was not that bad. He could see the connection that Noah and Allie had during their lifetime.

Then he thought about his and Kate's relationship. Could they find that kind of happiness in each other?

Next up was The Transporter. Rick was partial to the first one although the third one was good too. As they watched Frank get out of situation after situation Kate thought about the information she was withholding from Rick. Half way through the movie Kate became drowsy. She rested her head on Rick's chest. As soon as The Transporter was over, he got up and threw in A Walk in the Clouds, rousting Kate from her sleepiness.

As they watched the movie he felt her arm snake across his chest as if she were a guy making his stretch and hug move in a bad B movie from the fifties. He sighed. Before long she was toying with the topmost button of his shirt that was fastened. He swallowed and wondered what language the movie had switched to of its own accord. His breathing picked up as if he had sprinted down the block. This was all so new for them, sure, they'd grown closer, but he always held her at arm's length. She never made such an aggressive move like this. As he thought about it, he felt the button loosen and expose more of his skin. She slipped her hand under his shirt and started to play with the hair on his chest.

She lifted her head to look at him. He was already watching her, the romance on his wide screen TV now forgotten.

Kate adjusted and stretched to brush her lips along his jaw. He hadn't shaved since the morning and the rough stubble under her lips and tongue had her inching up closer to his lips.

"Kate…" he whispered and then he swallowed. She watched his unease manifest itself in the bobbing of his Adam's apple.

Her hand danced on his chest. He couldn't reconcile how such soft hands and fingertips could send alternating currents of electricity and shivers of icicles through his veins. It didn't seem possible.

Before he could react she nimbly swung herself up off his chest and onto his lap, straddling his thighs. His hands found a natural resting place on her hips. His eyes found hers. The rich hazel revealed her excitement, her playfulness, and her desire. "Kate," he breathed, mesmerized by all he read there.

She smiled and leaned forward softly touching her lips to each of his eyelids, the creases at the corners of his eyes, which only made his joy more visible. She longed to see him more joyful, more often. She sat back up, accidentally grinding her hips on his lap. She smiled when he let out an audible exhale.

She leaned back and went back to work on his buttons. She was almost reclined on his legs to get at the last that was still tucked into his pants. She tugged the shirttail free and made quick work of the button. She ran her fingers lightly across his chest. The scars from the explosion still pink and tender: Kate bent down and placed a gentle kiss on each reminder of the sacrifices he wore.

Rick closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the couch. Under her careful and loving touches, he let it go, everything: the case, his recovery, and his worries. For the first time since Sara died…He opened his eyes upon the thought of his wife. Guilt and grief leaked from the corner of his eye. Confusion about his feelings caught his breath. He still loved Sara; he always would. In his mind and heart, he owed her his devotion, but he also loved Kate. He was sure of it. 'Could he love both of them?' he asked himself silently. He irrationally wished Sara could give him permission to pursue Kate. He thought about how his heart felt with her beside him; the wholeness he'd been missing since Sara died.

Kate smiled when she felt him relax and watched as his head tipped back onto the cushion. She wanted this; she wanted him. Despite his caution and fears. She stopped caressing and kissing when he raised his head abruptly, his eyes open, he stared at her, silently.

She watched a solitary tear escape the corner of his eye and she reached for it, softly wiping it away with her thumb.

The touch of her thumb on his cheek brought him back to the present. He swallowed as his eyes met hers again. He reached for the hand that wiped his tear and kissed her palm, in thanks and apology. He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder. He turned his head to look, but instead of seeing a person, he was enveloped in a sense of peace and love. He felt it had been Sara letting him go. He let out a shuddered breath and as he turned his head back to Kate.

"Rick…if you don't want…"

She never got to finish. He stretched up and claimed her mouth, knotting his fingers through her hair, holding her in place. His mouth trailed down her jaw and his hands under her tee shirt, grasping her back. He pulled away from feasting on her neck long enough to pull the soft cotton shirt over her head. He sat back and set fire to her skin with his gaze. He tenderly fingered the soft cotton and lace bra, making her shiver. She arched her back and one strap fell from her shoulder.

He focused back on her eyes. "Are you cold?" he asked and she shook her head. He smiled and she returned one just as bright.

Rick slid his fingers under the other strap, up over her shoulder until he met the barrier created by the clasp. He hadn't stopped looking at her face, but she closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation of his hands on her. He expertly unhooked the bra.

Kate raised an eyebrow and grinned. "One handed?"

"It's like riding a bike," he replied through a cheeky grin.

She rolled her shoulders making the straps descend her arms and loosening the cups from her breasts. He pulled the bra the rest of the way down her arms, but left it around her wrists. He looked at her and Kate noticed as if he were appraising a fine work of art. He surged upward again to find her mouth, but this time his fingers and warm palm found her breast. One hand fondled and the other was wrapped around her waist holding her close.

He pulled away and his lips began here descent once more. He stopped at her neck and paid special attention to her pulse point. She could feel him smile as his ministrations made her buck and arch on his lap. Before she realized it, he moved and flipped her onto his couch cushions where he continued his devotions making her squirm and roll and make noises she hadn't made in a long time.

She hadn't felt that good, well, ever. She held him close to her and she ground against the stiff fabric of his jeans until suddenly he was off of her. "Rick?"

"Come on," he said in a tone so low she almost missed it. He held out his hand and when she grabbed it, he led her to his bedroom.

She let him undress her and she him. Lying down on his bed, they made love as if they were both familiar with each other's bodies, not as if it was their first time. They made a world of their own, closing out everything and everyone except each other and fell asleep in each other's arms: safe, replete and joyful.

 **A/N: I do apologize for the wait for this chapter. I should be able to be back to a regular weekly update schedule. P2P.**


	10. Chapter 10

Kate woke the next morning with the sun as it rose outside of Rick's bedroom window. Turning away from the offending bright yellow and orange colors, she looks at the man she has fallen in love with laying right next to her. He is still asleep and her thoughts return to their beautiful night last night. It was the best night of her life. Her mind retreated back to the wonderful, beautiful things he did to her body and her mind. She drew closer to him because somehow during the night she had drifted away from his warm, strong body.

Rick is awake even though his eyes are still closed. He wants to savor this moment for as long as he can. He can feel Kate moving closer to him and he wants to so badly take her into his arms and hold on to her because he never wants to let her go. He wonders why he ever waited so long to express his feelings for her. Sure he was not that much of a man who would even consider being with her when he first met her, but she has changed him all for the better. They both lay there for what seems like hours when in reality it's only been about 15 minutes.

Suddenly there is a noise at the front door and Kate bolts straight up in bed thinking the worst. Not realizing that she is still naked she just stares at the entry way to Rick's bedroom. She hears front the door open, close and then lock. Items slide along the laminate floor of the front foyer and come to a stop. The coffee machine that has been idle overnight now comes to life. Soon the aroma of a robust coffee is filling the confines of the apartment. Footsteps move closer to Rick's door stop for a second, hesitating and then Kate instinctively draw's the sheet over her body holding it over her breasts. She waits there like that listening to see if the door will actually open so when Rick sits up along side her and then he says

"Pumpkin, could you give us a couple of minutes so we can wake up properly?"

Through the door, they hear a muffled,

"Sure dad but the coffee will be ready soon, so don't drag your feet!" Alexis returns to the kitchen with a smile on her face that her dad can't see.

Kate looks at him like she wants to kill him and then swats his chest playfully. Then Kate hears those same footsteps retreat back into the kitchen.

"Rick are you sure that this is the right way to tell Alexis about us?" Kate questions.

"Kate, through that door, and standing in that kitchen, there is waiting for us, probably one of the most biggest supporters of what we are doing right here, right now." Rick waves his index finger between the two of them. "Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she had her sleep over with her friend all planned out last night to give us the time we needed to be alone together."

"Rick what have you told her?"

"Kate, honestly I have not said anything about us to her. Well, that's not entirely true I might have told her that I found you easy on the eyes."

Rick waits for the swat once more but instead he is surprised when she leans over and pulls him into a tight hug and a quick kiss.

"Comments like that mister will only make me love you that much more." Kate froze at the very second the words left her lips. They loved each other and she was sure of it, but this slip of her feelings for him was the first time she actually acknowledged the white elephant in the room between them. She pulled in her breath and held it. He had released her from the hug and started making his way off the bed. Swinging both legs over the side and standing, unclothed of course he was not ashamed of his body. He turns and extends his arm to invite her to come with him.

"Kate, what I said was true, you are beautiful and yes I do love you also. So do me a favor and never hide how you feel about me or us as a couple. I will do everything in my power to show you that I am totally committed to us. There might be times that I think about Sara, but I'm trying to keep her apart from what we could have here."

"Rick, please don't forget about her. What I mean is that SHE is a big part of us. Well not maybe a big part, but she was a big part of what the both of you had together, and if I can capture only a fraction of what you two had then I'll be the happiest woman on this planet."

"Come on Kate lets get clean." Rick offers his hand once more and Kate takes it without reservation. He draws her to him once again and the sheet she was wearing covering her is now just in a pile at her feet. She is not ashamed of her body either. They take a quick shower to conserve water. Finally making it out to the kitchen hand in hand Alexis eyes them suspiciously.

"So dad, you and Kate must have been tired after the last movie you guys watched huh? So tired that Kate could have not possibly picked up her cell phone and called for a cab?And that's why she was sleeping with you in your room?" Alexis giggles and Kate blushes dropping her head quickly.

"That's enough young lady!" Rick says his stern warning with hints of a smile on his face knowing that Alexis knows why Kate was staying the night. Alexis asks if they want eggs with toast and butter, and they both say yes. Walking past her dad and taking Kate's hand she gently pulls her along with her into the kitchen to help. On the way in out of her father's earshot Alexis whispers "Kate I want all the details!" Kate now realizes that Alexis was just kidding before and will give her anything she G rated version of course.

They are cooking and Kate is telling Alexis about their movie night and the fact that her dad actually made it through 2 chick flicks without falling asleep and he actually liked them. Or so she had thought.

"Kate come on you're kidding me right? My dad liking chick flicks?"

"Alexis I was just as surprised as you. He was really into them. Kate says in a whisper. It's was like his feminine side came out last night, and don't tell him this but in the end of the Notebook you know the scene where Allie asks Noah if their love is strong enough to take them away together?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Then Noah goes to sleep with Allie holding her so passionately and then the next morning the nurse checks in on them and she finds that they both passed away during the night?"

"Yeah come on Kate your killing me here just tell me already!"

"Okay, okay keep your panties on...Well when I looked over to your dad from the corner of my eye he had tears rolling down his face."

"No way...my dad?"

"Yup, I'm telling you."

"Kate do you know what this means?"

"Alexis, it's just a movie that had a sad scene for an ending."

"Kate this is so much more than that, This is epic!"

Kate gives Alexis a concerned look. "Alexis I'm a little lost here...please explain."

"Kate when this movie came out in 2004 my mom and dad went to see it in the theaters. I remember because they got Mary Anne from next door to take care of me that night. When that same scene came up and the movie ended he left the theater with dry eyes!" Alexis starts to bounce up and down, and Kate wonders if it's from too much caffeine.

"Alexis, I'm still not understanding what it is your trying to tell me here."

"Kate, don't you see? It's like my dad got a sign from my mom or something. You just told me that he was crying at the end of that movie right?"

"Well yeah Alexis, but what does tha..." then it dawned on her mid sentence. The look on his face when she was straddling him, the lone tear, and his sexual appetite after the movie ended when she thought that he was actually retreating, Alexis was right it's like he got the okay to love her. Rick was released from the memory of his wife. It was Sarah had spoken to him and he was free. Kate looked to Alexis and before she knew it she had come around the counter top and was hugging Kate so fiercely. Kate broke the hug with tears of her own starting to form in her eyes, but not for the same reason.

She had news for Rick she had been keeping from him, news that could tear down everything that they had worked so damn hard to build in such a short time. News that could possibly get the both of them killed. There was no way she would tell Alexis and sentence her to death also. She needed to get away from here. So she turned away from Alexis took the plates of food that she and Alexis had made for Rick and Alexis placed it on the table with the silverware, napkins and a fresh cup of coffee in front of him and turned once again. After Rick and Alexis were seated silverware in hand she put on her shoes, jacket, picked up her weapon faced the closed door, opened it and left without a word to either of them.

Seeing this going on and not being able to stop it Rick was upset. They had so made so much progress in the last 4 weeks but why did she just get up and leave him? He decided to go after her, to get to the bottom of this, that was until he was held back by his daughters hand pulling on his forearm.

"Dad, please let her go. She has a lot to work through and chasing after her won't help anything right now. Trust me. A lot of what she is going through has to do with keeping you alive!"

"Alexis so help me GOD" he yelled. "If you know something, Baby I need you to tell me so I can keep her and you safe I won't loose her! Alexis, I love her, just as much as I love you!"

"Dad, I know that you love her. Hell, I love her too. I can see it in your eyes, but right now this is so far beyond that. There is nothing that you can do to keep us safe right now. Just let her do what she needs to do okay? Just trust me. Okay?"

Rick looks over to Alexis and he has tears in his eyes "How did you get to be so wise? You do know that I love you right?"

"Yeah Dad, I know." _I just hope that I made the right decision and kept my dad from saving Kate!_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Not knowing what to do next Kate rolled up to Colin's address and parked her cruiser. Technically, she was not a part of his investigation since she was not assigned to BDU, this would not stop her. The least she could was to keep tabs on Colin. She sat there in her car for her self imposed 30 minute time limit. Just as she was going to leave Colin had emerged from the apartment. She slid down into the seat so he would have less of her silhouette to see. She watched as he pulled the keys out of his pocket and walked up to an older full sized blue Ford or Chevy pick-up truck. Getting in and starting the truck she waited until he pulled away and drove a block away before starting her car and following him at a safe distance.

He had to give her credit. She was cautious but she was persistent. She was not a cop who would give up so easy. He wanted to see if and how she would follow him. She did follow but she did it to where he had even lost track of her because she was so far behind him. After driving for a while he pulled into a C-Town off of East 204th street. Parking the truck he got out slowly to see if she would pass him.. She didn't. She pulled into a gas station about a half a block away. He went in to the C-Town and grabbed a loaf of bread, eggs, milk, mayo, mustard and some lunch meat from the deli. Paying for his items, he quickly looked across the street and noticed that her car was gone from the gas station. He looked north up the street and did not see the unmarked car anywhere. He returned back to his truck and went back to his apartment wondering the whole way back why she had stopped following him and where she went.

Kate had what she needed. She knew where he was living, and had a basic idea of his day to day routine. So having all she needed for now she left him at the C-town and went back to her apartment to add to the information she already had on him. It was about 5 pm when she finally got back to her place. Walking the hallway to her door she looked up and noticed that she had a visitor.

"Alexis, what are you doing here?"

"Kate, I need to talk to you. Can we go inside?"

"Sure, is it bad?"

"Well, that depends on what you're doing Kate!"

Kate unlocks the door to her place and they both walk in. She offers Alexis something to eat but she turns her down politely. Alexis wants to know if Kate has lost her mind or not but asking her this outright would be disrespectful and rude.

"Kate, do you love my dad?"

"Alexis, you know that I do. Why are you questioning this?"

"Kate I'm questioning this because I want you to live a long and happy life, but with the road your on it looks like you won't make it to see next week."

"Alexis, what are you talking about?"

"Kate don't treat me like a 5 year old! I know what you doing with your off-duty time. You are investigating Colin, you are trying to find him. You know that this will get you killed...right?

"Alexis, I am not doing anything like that, why would you think something like that?"

"I know that you are, Kate. I know that look, the look in your eyes, the look of sheer determination. Dad had it too and it consumed him, so don't tell me that your not looking into where he is. Because then you'd be lying right to my face!"

"Honey, I can't tell you what I'm doing. If I do then you are just as much of a target. I can live with being in his path of destruction, but there is no way I will let him do anything to get to you."

"Kate I don't care what will happen. I want the two of you to be together. And if that means helping you find him then so be it!"

"Whoa, hold on a second, there's no way in hell that you would be going to be anywhere near an investigation like this in the first place, even if that was what I was doing, which I'm not."

"Kate, face, lying, remember?"

"Alexis, forget it! I am not involving you in this. I am with your dad, and I want you to stay alive!"

"Okay, then Kate you leave me no other choice."

Kate physically blanches. She wonders what Alexis would do. And as the color comes back to her face she tells her "Alexis give it your best shot, I'm not afraid."

"Kate, are you sure? Remember I am the daughter of a BDU cop. So tread lightly."

Kate wants to test the waters so to speak. "Alexis go on and try to scare me, you have nothing on me."

"Are you sure about that Kate? Well what if I ohhhh lets say make an anonymous call to the chief of detectives and lets just say that I know that a certain detective is looking into something that is outside the scope of her duties? And then lets say that the same anonymous caller had made a call to a certain BDU Lieutenant about someone who was bending the rules and keeping evidence from him, essentially preventing him from finally closing this chapter in his life?"

"You wouldn't dare Alexis!"

"Kate never ever doubt me and what I will do to make sure that my father is happy. And he and you together WILL make him happy! So Kate am I in?"

Kate stands there looking at Alexis and really can't let her be a part of this, but she considers her threat and she doesn't doubt that she will carry it out if she doesn't cave in to her demands.

"Alexis I'm going to regret this..." but before Kate can even finish her thought Alexis has just slammed into her head on in one of the most tightest hugs she has ever received from the teenager.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Colin starts his truck. Then he puts the transmission from park and into drive and slowly pulls away from Kate's apartment. He keeps her cruiser in his vision through the rear view mirror as he coasts down her block until it's out of his sight...


	11. Chapter 11

Colin hated to be the bearer of bad news. But as he was driving away from Kate's NYPD issued police unit he was not going to be hanging around to tell her that she would be the one who in the end who would be causing her death as well as Rick's and his daughters. And anyone who happened to be within 50 feet of Kate's car would also not be so fortunate as well. It was a very simple device. And he was a big fan of simplicity. His purchase from the Ford dealer the other week had granted him easy access to her car. So he had followed her back to her apartment where she was no doubtfully explaining to Alexis how much she had fallen for her dad so he did not have an issue dismantled her steering column and planting the tracker beneath the airbag deployment charge so he could keep tabs on her car. He only had planted the tracking device for fear that he would get caught carrying out the remaining phase of his duty.

With the bug in place, he knew that there was no way that Rick would ever sweep her car for his bug. Thus leaving them all vulnerable. He needed to research what type of explosive he would use to for once and all to destroy them. He was tired of Rick always swooping in and saving the day, he would make an example of him no matter what the cost was. So back to the drawing board he went. He would not subject himself to an early grave by filling Kate's trunk with 500 lbs of fertilizer. That would be a dead man's mission. No, he would take the easy way out. He would let her unintentionally take the destruction to Rick. He would remote detonate his handy work. He would make sure that Rick would pay. There would be no slip ups this time.

So after researching what he wanted to use next he had an idea. The explosive he had decided to use was just about on the endangered species list. It was an explosive that was almost exhausted in the late 20's and early 30's. But he knew of someone who he could trust to get him at least 3 to 5 hundred pounds of the stuff. Pyrotol. It had a great ring to it. He wondered if men had actually sat around and made up names for this shit. So now he decided to figure out a plan how to get to Kate's cruiser.

But after he thought about it, it would be easier for him to acquire just about 20 pounds of Semtex. Semtex was waterproof, easier to shape and he could paint it to match any color he wanted. So while he knew that Rick would never find the tracking device he placed in Kate's cruiser he would do what he does best. He would do his homework. He would take all of them out. The gloves were off and he would not hold anything back now. Saints or sinners he would take NO prisoners!

So the next day he found himself back at the Ford dealership to buy the plastic kick panels to match the ones in Kate's car. He not only bought the kick panels but he also bought the side door panels, seat backings, lower dash panel, upper dash panel and roof pillar trim and the rear plastic deck by rear window. It's amazing how many things are plastic in your common car today. He would load up her car with so much Semtex that they would never survive. He would end Rick and his life once and for all.

He would have to wait for the door panels and the rear deck plastic because they needed to be ordered. He paid for them in cash. So while he had to wait. He left the dealership with the parts that he could copy. He set out for home and got to work. His contact at the department of transportation was the one who got him the name of the guy who was in a position to get him the Semtex. Oh, what a tangled web... Of course, there would be a hefty price to pay, but it would be worth it. He made his call earlier in the morning and he was waiting for his delivery to arrive. As if on cue a knock was heard at the back door.

"So Mr. K. I'm here to make sure that this is what you wanted. 7 pounds of Semtex?"

"That's correct Mr. J."

"I'll expect payment in the usual manner?"

"That you Mr. J., that you will."

"So we're good." Mr. J. turns and leaves.

Colin takes the Semtex and retreats back to his workshop. He had made a plaster cast of the kick panels and now all he needs to do is sculpt the Semtex into the mold and after it forms to the mold in about 4 hours he will have an exact copy of the panel. After a touch of Ford medium blue interior dye, no one will never be the wiser. This is too easy. Colin has taken the measures to ensure that he won't be caught. The Semtex he bought was made before 1990 and would be hard to trace even if it was past it's shelf life of ten years.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kate let Alexis return home with the cover that she went out to pick up Potato Chip Fudge ice cream for her dad. Kate really hated the fact that Alexis could so easily manipulate her a decorated NYPD detective. She was getting soft in her old age. It was killing her that she had infused herself in this (illegal) investigation that Kate was conducting. She really wanted to keep Alexis out of this and she wanted to move her away from what she was doing. It would only end badly for Kate who finally got Rick to open up to her. No, she would need to have another talk with Alexis and get her to see reason. She could not jeopardize her life as well. She was one thing but Alexis was so much more. She remembers Rick's warning about trying to find Colin on her own. She would not let her be involved in this case.

Having her mind made up Kate got dressed had a quick bite to eat and then went back to her car and drove to Colin's hide for her 30-minute stay. After arriving there was no activity. She waited an additional 5 minutes hoping that he would decide to go out but still there was nothing. So starting her car, she decided that a visit to Rick was what she needed. It was early and she hoped that Rick was at least up and about. Pulling up to his place she got out and knocked on his door. But to her surprise Alexis had answered the door first.

"Detective, It's so good to see you. What brings you here so early on a Sunday?" Alexis knew that Kate was already out and investigating their case.

In a hushed voice, Kate told Alexis "Listen Lex if you keep this up I will go to your go to your dad and tell him everything. And don't think I won't!"

Alexis shut up quicker than a clam. "So Kate would you like to come in?" Says Alexis, as she gave Kate an evil eye.

Rick hearing the knock at the door made his way to the living room after pulling a t-shirt over his body. Rick notices Alexis talking to Kate and asks, "Kate how are you?"

"Rick I'm great. How are you?"

"I'm good, but I'd like to thank you!"

"Thank me, for what?"

"Yeah last night Alexis came home with my favorite ice cream and she told me that you suggested that she get it for me."

"Oh yeah that, well I'm glad that you liked it."

Kate leers at Alexis knowing full and well that's not the reason why.

Alexis just smiles and moves away to let the two adults talk.

"Hey Dad, even though it's a Sunday, I really need to study for a chem test tomorrow."

"Okay, Alexis. I'm going to talk with Kate if that's alright with you?"

"Dad don't worry it's fine." Alexis heads to her room but not before giving Kate a look on the way to her room of _"if you tell him I'll make my calls!"_

"Rick, can we have an adult conversation...over in the living room?" Kate asks hoping to ease him into what she needs to tell him.

"Kate this sounds serious. Is everything okay? Does it have to do with us as a couple?"

"Well it does concern us, but not as a couple. There's something else I want to talk to you about."

"Alright Kate, let's talk." They both make their way over to the loveseat in the living room.

Alexis is not naive. She knows Kate is up to no good and she will find out what she says to her dad.

"So Rick, has Alexis decided on where she wants to go to school? Like maybe UCLA, or USC, Stanford or University of Washington?"

"Kate I never knew that you had taken such an interest in where Alexis wants to go to school."

"Rick you'll never know how badly I want her to enjoy her higher education away from the hustle and bustle of NYC."

As Alexis listens to her dad and Kate talk she can't believe her ears. She needs to get down there and put a stop to this right now. But how. Kate has not really crossed any lines. She's just asking him if she had given any thought to going to the west coast. Alexis is not stupid she knows exactly why Kate is doing this. She wants her out of the picture so she will be free to get herself killed. There will be no way she will give in so easily. Alexis has just now gone into full blown battle mode!

"Well, Kate I'm not too sure if Alexis has decided, but I do know that she has received invites from a couple of the schools that you just mentioned."

Kate needed to get Alexis out of the tri-state area. So maybe Rick would take her to the west coast and they both could see what the schools were like there.

Alexis has had enough. As she paces the hallway at the top of the stairs she thinks to herself. 5 minutes fly by and she has finally found a way to explain what she and Kate are doing...well not so much her but definitively what Kate is doing. She starts for the stairs and hears Kate telling her dad about her time at Stanford. Reaching the last step her dad notices her and says

"Hey Pumpkin, done with your studying so soon?"

"Dad, I need to talk to you too!"

Kate just looks over to her with a look that could kill. If she ruins what she already told Rick...

"Dad listen to me. Kate was telling you was the truth. Well, a partial truth, she was not going to tell you the whole truth about why she wants me and you to go to the west coast."

"ALEXIS" Kate yells sternly.

"Dad what I'm going to tell you is the truth isn't that right Kate?..."

Kate just nods.

 **A/N:** Against my better judgement, I will try to post chapters for "Bomb" on a weekly basis. It has taken me about 2 weeks to write this, I know it's short, but I have been second guessing what I am writing since the trolls have left their rotten comments. I am going to try to ignore what they say and continue. Thanks to everyone who has sent me PM's showing their support!

 **A/N 2:** Norman01 this is for you! And I'm sorry I left you hanging.


	12. Chapter 12

Rick just looked at the pair of them. What could they need to tell him that would be so bad? So he took the logical approach to the whole situation.

"Okay, one at a time I am going to need to know what the hell is going on here. Kate, you first, and don't lie to me!" Rick wanted the truth, he knew that they were both hiding something. He just hoped that it was not as serious as the looks on their faces.

"Rick, please don't make me do this." Kate pleaded

"Kate I think that we are so past that right now. Look at Alexis, she is shaking just sitting there!"

"Dad it's not that bad." Alexis replies.

"It isn't? Look at the both of you. If looks could kill I'd be trying to resuscitate the both of you right where you sit!"

"Kate, the truth NOW!"

Kate looks over to Alexis and waits. As she nods Kate starts with what has been going on since Rick was in the hospital. She tells him about the leads she thought she had and the ones that had actually got her where she is right now. Right up to where she was before she met them tonight.

"Alexis?"

"What dad?"

"Are your really going to play the innocent card with me right now? Alexis, I know you, what did you do? Did you threaten Kate? And don't lie to me, you are my daughter I'll know just by looking at you!"

"Well, I might have told her that I knew a certain Chief of D's. And an anonymous call to him could have been placed telling him that a detective was conducting a not so legal investigation for a serial bomber."

"I can't believe either of you. I don't know who to be more pissed off at...Alexis you for trying to blackmail her, or Kate, for letting her help you."

"Dad, Rick" they both start at the same time...Alexis yields first letting Kate go first respecting her elder.

"Rick listen I have a good handle on the intel I have. I have been watching him but he has no idea I'm there. I have been so careful."

Kate, you have no idea what you've fallen into. He knew you were there, he purposely lead you to the C-town to see if you'd follow him. Even if you did hide far away from

him at the gas station and leave before he came back out, he knew that you were there."

"Dad why would you think that?"

"Because Lex, He wants me dead. I tried to tell the both of you that before I got out of the hospital. He will take me out, and if you're in this with me he will have no qualms about taking the both of you with me. He might have had a heart the last time you met him but now, this time, he won't. You were a child then Alexis now he won't give a shit!"

"Kate, Alexis give me everything that you have found out about him. Then, Kate, you need to go home and Alexis you need to go to bed. I will look over what you have found and decide how to catch him."

"Rick I'm not letting you go after him alone."

"Me neither dad."

"Listen to me the both of you. I am happy that you want to try to catch him on your own. But I will not let you die for something that I started so many years ago, so hand over the file now. What you have done is now finished! End of discussion, I don't want to hear another word about it!" Rick had his mind made up. He just had hoped Colin had not screwed with anything since Kate started following him. Because he knew him all too well.

Colin had his hands full. He received a call from the local Ford dealer telling him that his parts that were ordered were now in. He placed the plastic panels into the back of his truck and paid cash for the balance after paying the initial 15% for the special order fee. He needed to make one more stop and then he would get to work. Stopping at the electronics store he had purchased 10 long range receivers and a long range transmitter. They were programmable and now he had all the equipment in his shop to finish Rick off once and for all.

Leaving the electronics shop he started to head home. It was a nice day out and he decided to stop at the park for a little while. Parking the truck he walked over to an old picnic table and took a seat. As he watched as the older kids shoot hoops on the court, a few had been playing tennis next to the basketball court, his attention was caught by a couple of 11-year-old's playing on a set of monkey bars. They were just about the age of his sister was when she was taken from him. He just got lost in their musings and started to daydream of better times. Before he knew it the two girls were gone and the day had come to an end. The sun had just about finished setting. He was in his daydream for about 2 hours. Quickly getting up, he took in his surroundings and feeling secure that no one was a threat he went back to his truck and went home. Taking his recent purchases, he went to his shop and got to work. He had more than enough Semtex to complete the job of duplicating the panels that fit Kate's police cruiser. He looked on as the casts were filled with the Semtex and wondered if they would figure out what he had up his sleeve. He made a spot in the new pieces for the tiny receivers to be placed in the panels to detonate the Semtex and finally avenge his sister.

Rick had enough. He took Kate's file and sent her home. She was more than upset if he had to use a word it would be brokenhearted. But he had warned her about his past and she needed to understand that any association with him will be like her knowingly signing her own death warrant. And that's one thing that he would never do. He loves her and he will make the ultimate sacrifice with his life to keep her and Alexis safe from this madman. He will not make the same mistake he did with Sarah. There would be a showdown between himself and Colin and he did not like the odds of his own survival.

Kate sat in her living room wondering how badly screwed up she made this situation. _"If I had just come to him with what I had while he was in the hospital, he would not be off trying to keep us safe and trying to get himself KILLED!"_ Her cell phone rings and she is drawn out of her thoughts. She reads the incoming caller id and sees that it's Alexis.

"Sweetie is everything alright, your dad's okay right?"

"Kate relax. He is downstairs sitting at the dining room table reading what you gave him."

"Lex, I really did not want to get you into trouble but I had no options."

"Kate I'm not calling because I love to get you into trouble please don't be mad at me, but believe it or not...I miss you. You have been the closest woman I have known to be like a mother figure to me since my mom died. I just wanted to let you know that, no matter what happens."

There is silence on the line and Alexis thinks the call has dropped. Hell, they were on cell phones after all. But then she hears soft crying on the line and then she herself starts to cry as well. For about 3 minutes neither woman says one word. Knowing that, they are feeling what they both know to be true.

"Lex, I will never be mad at you, baby I love you like my own daughter." Kate said through a lump in her throat and tear filled eyes. Even though Alexis could not see her reaction she meant what she said.

"Kate I'm glad that I met you. You are the one person who will be able to make dad see that there is a woman who cares about him."

"Alexis while we both agree that I want to be with your dad in the worst way possible but first before I can do that we need to see if there is anything we can do to help him take down Colin."

"Kate do you believe him when he said that Colin would kill the both of us?"

"Baby, from what I have seen him do, he is very capable of taking us all out, your father, me and yourself."

"Well, Kate it looks like we will need to be careful then won't we."

"Alexis, what do you mean?"

"Kate are you asking for dad to purposely kick our asses, because if he finds out what we have planned then he will do exactly just that."

"Listen, Alexis, you will not be involved directly in what I'm going to do, you can't be. All I need you to do is to put your computer skills to good use and find out if Colin has any kind of background that we can trace. This will help me so much and while you are helping me it's not really "helping" me. I will be the one who actually goes into the field to see if what you have found is fruitful."

Okay Kate, since you said it like that then I'm in. I will run what I can and tell you what I find in the morning."

Kate hangs up her phone. She will regret this in the long run she can feel it. She gets ready for bed and within minutes she is asleep soundly, even with the situations she needs to deal with.


	13. Chapter 13

Numbers. That was all anyone amounted to anymore. You had a social security number, a drivers license number, a retirement plan number, a master card number for your credit card, a selective service number, and, of course, a number to identify you for your job. Kate Beckett's number was now up. Colin had once again used his incognito disguise at the city's motor pool about a month ago to get copies of keys for Kate's car and Rick's BDU truck. He milled around the shop for about a week as not to be noticed and on his overnight shift one Tuesday morning he had found out that each city vehicle had been assigned a number. Being careful enough to not be noticed he crept into the scheduling supervisors office and sat down at his computer. Quickly navigating the screen in front of him for information, he pulled up the car that was assigned to the detective by the cars assigned number. It was due for a preventive maintenance appointment at the end of the next month. As he looked at the calendar there were 42 days before that could happen.

Sending the detective an email from the supervisors terminal, he wrote to her and told her that this email was a reminder that her car was due for its service in 10 days. He would follow up with a phone call to confirm this the day before so she could get the car in at it's appointed time. He quickly erased the sent email and wiped the hard drive of any outgoing messages. He left the office, but not without taking an impression of both vehicles keys in clay. He would make hard copies later. He went back to his duties for the rest of the shift. He played along when another worker had asked him how his night went as they were leaving for the day.

As Colin had finished the finishing touches on the last of the panels he pulled out his cell phone from its holder on his belt. Dialing the detectives land line phone at the 12th precinct the call connected and he waited. After 5 rings he was tempted to hang up and try again later, but the call connected with "Beckett".

"Detective Beckett, this is Mr. Fisher at the motor pool. I am calling to remind you that your unit is due for its PM. It's just an oil change and 4 new tires and it should be ready before your shift is over."

"Mr Fished is this really necessary? I'm in the middle of a case and I really don't have the time to drop off the car."

"Well, detective we could possibly have someone pick it up. Is that okay?"

"Mr Fisher let me check in with my captain. Can you hold on a sec?"

"Sure thing."

After a 2 minute pause, the Kate returns. "Mr. Fisher, my captain tells me that it's fine if you send someone to pick it up. The keys will be with the desk Sargent so see him for them."

"Thanks, detective."

"Anytime," She says as she hangs up.

This is working out better than he had hoped as he ends the call. He won't need the spare keys that he made for her car she was giving him her own keys! He waits for a moment and sets out for the 12th precinct to get her car. He had it all planned out. As he walked from the subway station to the 12th he was met with a couple of uniforms as he entered. One of them said "You guys down at the motor pool never seem to get a rest."

Colin replied "Yes sir, no rest for the weary!"

He walks in ant reports to the desk Sargent to retrieve the keys for the car.

"Hello sir, I'm here to pick up detective Beckett's car and bring it in for it's scheduled maintenance."

"Hold on Mike, let me make a call." The desk Sargent says as he reads the name off Colin's uniform and places a call to Kate.

"Okay, here you go." The Sargent hands over the keys to Kate's car. And Colin says

"Thanks, Sarge, I'll have it back here before the shift ends."

"Thanks, Mike." He replies.

Colin just nods his reply and heads for the entry door. He gets in the car and fires it up. Obeying all traffic regs he slowly pulls out of the underground garage and merges into traffic. Before long he is at his hideout and pulls the car into the garage. He had moved everything from where he had them drying and hardening to the garage. They were works of art. He had dyed the Semtex light ford blue to match the interior of her car. Even Rick would have a hard time telling that these parts were actually made from an explosive material. He got to work again being so very careful removing all the plastic parts in the car that he had made himself because if he had broken anything that was used to re-attach the parts he made Rick would be able to find out what he was up to. He had everything taken apart and now came the hard part, reassembling everything with a steady hand.

He had finished the reassembly process and he stepped back to admire his work. As he looked over all the panels that he had replaced, he thought that the rear deck panel looked a little bit off. As he spent more time looking at the panel he decided to replace the Semtex panel with the stock Ford once again. He would not take the chance that Rick could spot his work. He once again looked at his work and was pleased. The glove box door was loaded with more Semtex as well as the panels that cover the lower dash and the upper dash at the drivers side. No one will survive this. He cleaned up the mess and everything went according to plan. He actually was ahead of the schedule he had set for himself by 45 minutes.

.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.\\.

Kate dreaded the call she was going to make next. She really wanted to keep Alexis out of this but then last night she gave in at the last second. Why did she do that, she knew she already loved her but she could not let her get further involved in this case. She hoped that when this was all over they could start fresh.

Dialing Alexis' cell number part of her hoped that the voice mail would take over and she could leave her a message. But she had no such luck. "Hello, Kate." Alexis answered.

"Hey Alexis," Kate said trying to hide her displeasure.

"Well Kate, guess what?"

Kate perked up a little at her enthusiasm. "What Lex, don't keep me in suspense, what did you find out?"

"Actually, this was pretty easy. He left a trail that would be hard for the seasoned IT tech to find, but I was able to look beyond what the NYPD has taught them."

"Go on sweetie." Kate had hoped that she had found something on Colin that could get him caught and put behind bars.

"Kate he is predictable. He uses certain methods that dad would know about. I'm sure that if we bring him in on this he can help us. Kate, he knows Colin, granted it was years ago, but he knows his obsessions. So, should I tell him?"

Before Kate can answer she hears a voice that she is way too familiar with.

"There's no need to tell him, he just heard everything." Alexis sits straight up at her desk, turns her head slowly and looks to see her dad standing in the doorway.

"Dad, please I can explain."

"Alexis I'm not too sure that you will be able to explain!"

"Dad I'm not going to watch you sacrifice your life to let me and Kate live, because from what I've read about Colin he is one sick son-of-a-bitc..."

"Alexis you finish that thought and you will be grounded until your 21."

"I'm sorry Dad, but it's true he IS predictable."

Rick walks the remaining way from her doorway to Alexis who is sitting at her roll up desk. Her eyes are darting from him to her phone. He takes the phone from her and starts to talk to Kate.

"What am I going to do with you, Kate?"

"Rick I'm not going to lose you either! I am in love with you and WE are going to finally put an end to this so we can be together as a family should be. I know that this is happening so quickly, but my heart tells me that you are my soul mate, my one and done."

Rick is a little taken aback with her statement. As he looks to Alexis who now has tears running down her face he tells Kate "Well, in that case, Kate why don't you come over to my apartment so you, me and Benedict Arnold here can talk about what is on your mind."

"Okay Rick, I'll be over in 30. Do you want me to bring the coffee?"

"Kate as much as I like store bought coffee, I have some here we can brew. I will see you soon."

"Rick...I love you!"

"I love you too Kate, with all my heart."

Kate ends the call and gets ready to meet Rick.

Colin pulls into the underground garage for the 12th. As he gets out of the car he takes the red shop rag from his back pocket and wipes a spot of grease from the door jamb. Securing the car he walks out of the garage and enters the twelfth's front doors. Walking up to the duty Sargent's desk he holds out the keys to Beckett's car and bids a farewell to him. The Sargent calls out to him and asks if everything is fine.

"Everything is tip-top Sarge, even threw in a new pine scented air freshener"

The Sargent cracks a smile as he picks up the phone to let detective Ryan or Esposito that Beckett's car is back from the motor pool since Beckett left about a half an hour ago in Ryan's car. Ryan thanks him.

Kate's stomach is doing somersaults. She walks up to Ricks apartment and hesitates for just a second. She strains to listen if she hears either of them yelling or fighting. She hears nothing and raises her hand to knock when the door swings open and she sees Alexis' tear stained face. Well, at least, he is not yelling she thinks. She was wrong.

"Kate please come in! I have a bone to pick with you."

"Rick I can explain."

"Kate listen I was serious about going after Colin, I love you too much to loose you and what you've done here just made it so much worse."

"Rick, what are you talking about?"

"Kate he has been following you!"

"Rick, that's impossible. I have been so careful. He had no idea."

"Kate please come here."

Kate reluctantly walks over to where Alexis is sitting with her laptop open. She stands next to him and behind Alexis and then Alexis starts to hit the next arrow button on the images that she is seeing on the screen. Picture after picture she is mortified. These are all pictures of her, and to top it off they were taken when she thought she was in or at a safe place. As Risk's hand slides onto her shoulder she feels a shiver run through her body...and not the good kind.

"Kate, do you see what I am talking about? These pictures were taken when you thought you were safe. These pictures were not taken by any NYPD operation, they were taken by him. He knows that we are together and he will use it to his advantage if he has not already."

"Rick, How did he know?"

"Kate he took this one when you were just about to come into the apartment right after I got home from the hospital. Rick said pointing to the picture on the laptop. I had Alexis run our IP address to see if he was smart enough to keep his camera setting scanning for available networks and he found ours. It was not too hard to find the camera that was used and then to download the pictures. I also had her scan your home IP address as well as the 12th's."

"Rick I'm so sorry. I never meant to put you into danger."

Kate turns to see Alexis' face and she is crying. This is it for her she turns to leave. But before she can get less than two steps away Rick has taken a hold of her arm and is pulling her back towards him.

"And just where do you think you're going, lady?"

"Rick, I was such a fool. I believed that he never knew I was there. I've put your life in danger."

"Kate, first of all, this is what we do day in and day out. It's our job. Secondly, this has just given us a big head start on how we can find him and send him to prison once and for all."

"Rick, I'm going to make sure that he NEVER sees the inside of a prison cell!"

Alexis looks up to her dad and Kate and sees that he has pulled her into an embrace that would soften anyone if they were to see them right now.

"Kate I know that you are mad, but babe I have something that might make you change your mind."

"Oh yeah, Rick...what's that?"

Before Rick can answer her, her cell phone pings with a message. Pulling out her phone she reads the message that Ryan has sent her. _"Your unit is back from the pool. Bring back my car and get yours :)"_

The smiley face gets her to smile a little. She replies, _"At Rick's will be at the 12_ _th_ _in an hour. Thanks, Kev."_

Kate walks back to the kitchen table takes a seat and waits for Rick to settle in.

Alexis says, "Kate take a seat...we have a lot of information to go over..."

 **A/N: I am not an expert on digital cameras. I'm not too sure if you are able to pull up a picture and view it from an IP address. Remember this is fiction, but I hope it makes sense. P2P**


	14. Chapter 14

As they sit at the table Kate rereads the text and decides that she should go back and get her car.

Rick looks over Kate's shoulder and he can't really make out the text that she had received. He really wants to show her all they have found since she had called Alexis. But he thinks against it after she receives the text message because she just caught him trying to read the text.

"Kate?" he says with a shy grin, knowing he was just caught.

"Rick it's nothing. Ryan let me use his car to come here and now the shop has finished the service for my car and Ryan want his unit back."

"So then we can pick this up after you get back...right?"

"Yeah, Rick. Just give me about an hour and I'll be back then we can look over everything that you and Alexis have found."

"Okay, Kate. But to there and back. I'm also thinking that you should take some time off. Do you have time off you can get?"

"Rick, come on. He can't be watching everything I do. And I do. I never take time off, because I never had a reason to...until now that is."

Rick has a feeling forming in his gut and he does not like it. He knows this feeling first hand and he really, really doesn't like it.

"Kate, please be careful, I don't want anything to happen to you. So keep everything that you see in the back of your mind."

"Rick, I'll be fine." Rick still has his doubts.

Kate turns and leaves Rick's place. She gets into Ryan's car and heads back to the 12th. 20 minutes later she is parking his unit in the garage. Securing it and being conscious of her surroundings she finds nothing out of the ordinary. What she fails to notice is that Colin had never actually left the precinct after he dropped off her car. He has a birds eye view of her. He bides his time and when she pulls in the garage then he retreats to his second position. He watches as she walks into the precinct. She is only in there for about 10 minutes before he sees her return back to the garage and check out her car. She squats down and notices that the tires are brand new and then she unlocks the car and starts it up and leaves the garage. He watches as she pulls out and drives in the direction of her boyfriends place.

She has the speed dial button at the ready with his number displayed. She quickly hits send and the call connects.

"Was he there Kate?"

"Rick he was across the street emptying a trash can. I saw him."

"Kate get back here as soon as you can. I'm sure he will follow you. And screw with him and stop and pick up our lunch. I'll call it in at the Greek place you like so much."

"Rick, should I take the chance and lead him back to your place?"

"Kate he already knows where Alexis and I live, so no just come home... after you pick up the food I'm starving!"

"Okay babe. I'll be back soon." Kate did not miss the fact that Rick called his place her home. This was one of the things that would be addressed when she got back.

Colin starts his old truck and follows at a safe distance behind Kate. As he watches the little red LED light blink on the map of the GPS handheld unit, he lets Kate drive further away from him giving him a good cushion between them. He has everything in place to take her out, but he wants Rick. There will be no way he will get away from him, this time, This will be the end of Lieutenant Richard Castle. Kate stops along the way to pick up the lunch Rick he called in, for him Alexis and herself. As she reenters the car she can't seem to find Colin anywhere. She noticed him pull out behind her after she left the 12th but now he was nowhere to be found.

Colin had watched her as she went in to get the food. There was something off about her it's like she was leading him and she knew that he was following her. He went over her car after he added his "optional equipment" and the micro transmitter was still in place beneath the air bag charge from a month ago. Rick never bothered to sweep the car. He waited as she merged back into traffic and instead of following her he held back. He decided to see if she was indeed going back to his place or not, so he started the truck and went back to his rental hideaway.

Kate arrived with full hands as she knocked on Rick's door. She heard Alexis say that she was coming. The door opened and they were right there at the door. Rick took the lunch that Kate had picked up and retreated back into the apartment.

As they all sit at the dining room table Rick looks to Alexis and nods. Alexis takes a slice of pizza and makes herself a small salad. She pulls up everything that she found out about Colin/Daniel. He had escaped from a maximum security prison that the prison services had kept him in for the most hardened offenders. He was initially incarcerated in Mount Joy prison, but after finding out that he was faking his insanity defense he was transferred to Midlands prison. He had escaped from this prison about 2 years ago finding out that it was a minimum security facility. To him, this was child's play.

Alexis was able to trace Daniel (this was the last time he had used his given name) on a flight to JFK from Dublin. After that, this is when the NYPD had lost him. He went so far underground that no one knew where he was. He had rented a small efficiency apartment not too far from Rick's place. He only stayed there for about a year and then he went off the grid totally. He did not resurface until he had taken Alexis hostage and murdered Rick's wife.

"Alexis, can you remember anything from back then? Maybe he was trying to find out if we were vulnerable back then." Rick was racking his brain. He needed to end this and he was getting more and more upset with the way things were going. He bolts up from the table and when he did the chair he was sitting on slid backward and hit the throw carpet and tipped over. Alexis looked at him and what she saw in front of her at that moment was a man who had lost all hope. He gave his girlfriend and daughter a sad look then turned and left the table. Kate and Alexis just look at each other knowing that Colin has just beaten Rick. They need to stop him and Kate has a thought.

"You know that he will take you out before you can find him...right?" Kate pleaded for him to stay with them.

"I don't give a shit! I'm done playing games with this psycho asshole." Rick never stopped as he reached the front door to his apartment. He pulled the door knob, swung the door open almost off it's hinges and then slammed the door closed behind him. He never once looked back at the two people he cared most about in the entire world.

Patrick O'Farrell was now dead. It was a name that he would never again wanted to be associated with now or ever. He would put an end to this once and for all. He removed the keys to his truck and hopped in. He had a plan and he needed his crew to give him a hand. He knew that Smitty was staying with Baez this week. So he headed over there. Then he would tell them his secrets and hoped that they would forgive him. On the way over to Baez's house, he called Charlie, Dave and the new kid Juan. He explained that he had a job and that he needed their help with and nothing more. He set up the meet at Baez's place.

Kate was wondering what had pissed off Rick so much that he would leave without even saying goodbye or even where he was going. Kate took a hold of Alexis' hand and tugged her up.

"Alexis get your stuff we are going to find out where he went off to. Maybe we can save him from himself."

"Okay, Kate. Just let me pack up my laptop and we can go."

"Okay, sweetie meet me out by my car and then we will go look for him."

Colin can't believe his luck. He has the both of them getting ready to go after that self-centered ass. He thinks to himself _"What you don't know... will hurt you"_ Oh Rick are you in for such a big surprise...

 **A/N: This is an added bonus. I really wanted to give you the reader something for Christmas but got stuck working on 12/24. So I hope you liked it. There will be 1 maybe 2 chapters and then a short epilogue.**

 **P2P**


	15. Chapter 15

Rick pulls up at the front of Baez's house. As far as he can see he is the first one there, well with the exception of Baez and Smitty. They are sitting on his front steps and even before he can get out of the truck he hears Smitty say "No Sir. I ain't gonna do it. It's more than likely illegal and I want to live to see tomorrow."

Rick looks up to his friend and tells him "You got the illegal part right, but as for living til tomorrow...that remains to be seen."

Smitty just drops his head into his hands and shakes it back and forth.

"How bad is this going to get?"

"Well let's put it this way we will more than likely going to be looking for a new second in command after we are done with this."

"Rick come on how bad can it be?"

Rick waits for Smitty to raise his head from his hands. As Baez looks at him he tells them "I probably won't see the end of the week."

"RICK today is Friday!" Smitty yells.

"Yeah I know." He turns and heads back to the truck to get a couple of visual aids for the team. On his way back to Smitty and Baez the rest of the team shows up walking up behind him.

Kate and Alexis have been searching just about every place Rick could have gone to. They are lost. They need some kind of sign. They both need to think like Rick right now. While she thinks about her next move Kate looks out the rear window of her car and sees Colin tailing them again. He is doing a really bad job at following them this time and she decides to see how badly he needs to know where they are going. "Sweetie, we have company." Alexis gives her a nervous look. Kate tells her to hold on as she maneuvers through the traffic on the city streets.

She floors the gas pedal and takes off leaving him about a ½ mile back. Colin tries to keep up with her but the traffic is too heavy so he decides to turn off onto a side street and follow her through the tracer.

After losing Colin, Kate asks Alexis where he could have gone to when it finally hits her. She tells Kate that he probably went to see his team. They make a u-turn in the middle of the street and head to Baez's place. Kate knows the rotation schedule because she offered Smitty to stay at her place, but he turned her down since he thought it would be an imposition because she was with the 12th and not the BDU. Colin watches as the little red LED light moves out to Queens. He knows that the tracer has a 10-mile radius and that she can't escape him. He could take both of them now but he will wait for the "family" to be together.

Rick has confessed his sins to the team. He told them about Colin and how he tried to get him to join the IRA. When he told them he has refused and that the IRA had killed Colin's family they finally could see that Rick was being hunted by a madman. Just as he finished telling them his sins he needed to deal with another one of his sins. But this one was a good sin. Legs that would never quit and a body that he was sure of was going to be the death of him someday, and then there were her eyes. He felt that with just one look from those eyes of hers and she could see so very deeply into his soul. And she just came to a tire-screeching halt right in front of him.

"Rick what the hell is your problem? I am so mad at you right now. She yells to him as she walks up the stairs. Rick bowed his head just a little knowing that she was right.

As he looks up he sees that she looks really pissed off. "Kate I think we have a solid plan in place." he told her as she walked up Baez's walkway.

"Oh, so you decided that YOU should not include me and your daughter in this SOLID plan of yours?" Kate asks as she steps right in front of him and then regretfully she slaps him across the face.

"Kate what the fuck?

"What the fuck Rick?" Are you out of your mind? I am your lover! The one person who wants to spend the rest of her life with the man that she loves. How can you even ask me that? Were you even thinking about me and Alexis when you went off half-cocked?"

Rick is stunned at her statement about spending the rest of her life with him.

"Kate, I can't lose either of you. So please don't make this any harder that it actually is. I'm begging you, please." Rick drops to his knees and he looks up at her with tears starting to form in his eyes. Alexis who had just left the car lets out a gasp at the site she sees before her. She thinks that he is on his knees for an entirely different reason.

"Dad, Dad? What are you doing? Rick spins on his knees and realizes that he is still on them and his brain registers the pain.

"Alexis this is not what it looks like, I swear." Wincing a little from the pain.

"Seriously, from my point of view, it looks like you are asking Kate to marry you!"

Kate looks down at him and what he sees is her eyes getting misty. Then she tells him in a whisper...

"Just to let you know I will most definitively will say yes!"

Now Rick is the one with red cheeks. The guys look on as Rick and Kate who are about 15 feet from them.

Smitty asks, "So Kate what are you going to tell him?

"Smitty, shut up!" Rick yells back.

Kate takes his hand and she pulls him up and into a loving embrace and as she does he responds with the same action. They can't resist a hot and heavy kiss but knowing that everyone is watching they end their lustful desires. After a while, Alexis has made her way over to her dad's team and is looking on with them at the two people standing there. Kate gentle caresses Ricks face where she slapped him before and she apologizes. "I'm sorry Rick."

"Kate no, I should be the one to tell you how sorry I am. I am in love for the second and last time in my life and I was a jerk not to let you in to help me with Colin. I want "us" so badly but all I kept thinking about was the outcome and how we could be hurt."

"Rick come on inside, and then tell me about your solid plan." Kate led him back to Baez's house and they all went inside to talk about how to take down Colin.

They were all sitting at the large table and Alexis had told them that Colin had been "unfindable" (her word) for the last 6 years. It was not until recently that they found with Kate's clues the location of Colin's hideaway. They actually had a patrol unit from that precinct drive by his building just to keep an eye on him.

Smitty asked Rick, "Hey Boss have you completed a sweep for chemical agents at your place?"

"Daily, why do you ask?"

"Well, this nut job seems that he would cover his tracks. And I mean really cover them. He could be right behind you and you would never know it."

Rick thinks to himself for a minute. As he does he thinks back to when Colin actually had stopped following him and Alexis and started looking more at Kate. He knew that Colin was watching him before the destruction at Smitty's house but he could never prove it. It was more of a feeling than something that he could really confirm.

"Smitty do you have a PRO 10G detector?"

"Actually, I do. Let me get it, it's in Baez's front hallway closet."

"Hey, you had that here the whole time?"

"Baez someone had to make sure that your house was clean!"

"Oh, okay." Herman responds.

Smitty gives the detector to Rick and he proceeds to Kate's car. Knowing that Colin would have planted a bug somewhere in her car to track her. That's why he never actually tailed her. He knew where she was going at all times. Rick takes the scanner and starts at the back of Kate's unit. He is thorough in his search but he finds nothing. Moving to the front of the car he scans the most likely places for a bug. Again he finds nothing. A bit discouraged he opens the driver's side door and scans the kick panel near the steering column and the fuse box. The meter fails to light up. He gets out and rounds the car to the passenger side and opens the door and sits in the seat. He scans the passenger side airbag and dash panel and the lower kick panel. Again nothing. As he rests his arm on the armrest between the seats with the scanner in his left hand the meter starts to show a signal. It's weak at first but as he moves the scanner towards the steering wheel the meter lights up into the red zone. He moves it away just to make sure he is seeing this right. Then moves it back towards the steering wheel and the meter shows the same result. He quickly gets out of her car and runs back into the house.

"God Dammit!" Rick yelled as he opens the front door.

Kate, Smitty, and Alexis look up at his entrance.

"Boss?"

"Smitty he has been tracking Kate for god knows how long!"

Kate's first thought is back to the C-Town when Colin had purposely parked within her line of sight but never looked directly at her. He knew that she would leave him knowing exactly where she would go next.

"Babe, what do we do?" Kate asks.

"Actually nothing. We will keep the bug in place and just have a member of the team drive around with nowhere to go in general."

"Won't he get suspicious? Alexis asks.

"Actually, when he sees movement he will think that Kate is going about her usual day. It's amazing how easily someone can see how we fall into a regular routine."

"Boss, what do you have in mind for this nut?"

Rick pulls Smitty out of the earshot of Kate and Alexis as well as the rest of the team.

"Smitty, I'm going to need about 2 pounds of C-4. Who do you know?"

Smitty did not like this already. "Rick, are you sure you want to commit to something of this degree? He will see you coming from 2 miles away."

"Paul, I have no choice. You all need to live and I will not make you pay for my sins."

"Rick do you hear yourself? There is a woman out there who in no uncertain terms said that she would marry you right now if you asked her. And you would leave us to take care of your daughter."

"Actually, I would. I know you Paul and you are a good man, so don't let me down."

"Bullshit Rick, don't be the sacrificial lamb here. Promise me that we will all find a way to beat this asshat."

Rick can't hold a straight face and smiles at Smitty's asshat comment. He really loves his team. He would never get this done without them. About a half hour passes when Kate has an idea.

"Rick." Kate calls out for him. She has an idea and she thinks that it would be a good way to draw out Colin then they can arrest him.

"Rick?"

Alexis comes into the dining room and taps Kate on the shoulder. Kate spins around and sees Alexis with the look of anguish written all over her face. Right at that moment in time, she knew he was gone.

"Where is he, sweetie?"

"Smitty said he went to take care of a couple of errands and will back in about 3 hours."

"Damn that man! SMITTY!' Kate yelled.

"Yes oh enchanted one how can I be of service to thee" Smitty knew that she was pissed.

"Seriously Paul, knock off the crap and where did he go?"

"Kate, listen there are somethings that you don't really need to know about. He will be back soon, please trust him with this."

"Paul, I'm an NYPD detective. The odds that he will survive this are not in his favor. I know that he is going to do all he can do to protect us, he will take most of the wrath that Colin will unleash upon us. I am not going to let him do this to himself and us as a team!"

"Kate just give him the time he needs. I promise that he will be back before long."

"Okay, Paul. So what do you want to do about Colin?"

"Kate let's take a seat and go over our options."

"Alexis, sweetie can you grab your laptop and come talk with us, please." Kate asked.

They are all sitting at Baez's table discussing what they can do within the letter of the law. They do not like the options that they have come up with. Then the conversation moves to what they can do outside the law. This is when they look at each other and Kate really want's Alexis to leave the room that is until Rick comes through the door.

"So what's going on in here?" Rick asks.

Smitty answers, "Hey Rick we are having our weekly poker game, you want to join us?"

"Smitty, don't jerk me around. What are you guys doing, and what ever it is I know that it's not legal."

"Rick when have we ever done anything by the book? If I remember correctly you were the one who went off the deep end and tried to strangle that suspect in the courtroom right after he was found innocent."

"Paul that was different. He was guilty, it was not my fault that the DA had not entered all the evidence we found into the case. So yeah he deserved what he got."

"Rick the guy is in a long term care facility all because of you. I know that the city was lucky because he threw the first punch clearing them of any wrongdoing but you ended up throwing him to the floor and in the process breaking his neck."

"It is what it is."

"Dad, what's Smitty talking about?" Alexis wonders. "Yeah, Rick tell us." Kate asks.

"Pumpkin, Kate that's a story for another time. Right now we need to finish up with Colin. I am sure that he has something planned for us and I really don't want to be caught with my pants down."

Alexis giggles and Kate blushes at his comment. "Really that's what you take away from this...me missing my pants?"

"Well, dad, at least, we hope that you don't go commando! Alexis tells the room.

Rick gives his most sternest look at her. But before long everyone in the room starts to laugh. After about 10 seconds of non-stop laughing Rick finally caves in and starts to laugh too. After the week, they have had they needed to have this happy moment. And if he was their relief then so be it.

Colin has had enough. It was time to kill the happy family. He pulled up to the side of Rick's BDU truck and parked but left the engine running. Taking the key he had made for Rick's truck he opened the door and placed an electronic countermeasure under the dash. This countermeasure was a lot like the unit that the CHP was trying out for all the high-speed chases they were encountering. What it did was totally disable the vehicles ignition system while it was involved in a high-speed chase. All the CHP officers had to do was point and pull the trigger. Colin, however, was going to use it for a different job. Once he had modified it to be active all the time once he flipped a switch Rick's truck would try to start but it would never actually run. With the counter measure in place he locked and closed the door, Colin made his way back to his truck and decided to have a little fun with the members of the BDU team. He removed an M-80 from his bag and lit the fuse and threw it onto the front porch. He added a fuse with a little more time on it so he could be back in his truck in time and be ready for them when they all ran out.

"Smitty, I think that this is a great pla..." Rick feels the explosion at the front door. The explosion is so powerful it rips the front door off its hinges. Colin has made a beeline to his truck as Rick and Smitty get to the front door. As they do Baez is lying on his back unconscious after the front door hit him in the head. Kate and Alexis almost run into Rick who stopped to check on Baez. "He'll be fine. He is still breathing and his pulse is strong." Rick runs out behind Smitty and Colin has just started up his truck. Smitty jumps into his bomb squad Crown Vic and starts it backs out of the driveway at supersonic speed. Rick, Kate and Alexis head for his truck. They get in and Rick turns the key over and all it does is crank. It never starts. "Rick start it, he is getting away!" Kate screams.

"That bastard did something to my truck, that's why it won't start."

"Quick my car is right behind your truck. Let's go." Kate says. Rick has a bad feeling about this.

Alexis Kate and Rick leave his truck and pile into Kate's Crown Vic. Luckily it starts. Smitty has about a full block head start on them when they hear gunshots in the direction of where Colin and Smitty have gone tearing down the street. Kate tosses Rick the keys and he jumps in and starts the car. All three doors close and he lays about an inch of rubber on the rain-slicked street before the tires warm up enough to get traction. They are moving down the street and as they crest the hill they see Smitty's car up against a telephone pole. As they slow down they see inside his car and he is waving them on letting him know that he is okay and to keep chasing Colin. Rick concentrates on his high-speed driving. Colin has about a 4 block lead on them and he is traveling away faster. Rick mashed the gas pedal to the floor. The speedometer in Kate's unit quickly climbs to 95 MPH. Rick looks over to Kate and then in the rear view mirror and makes sure Alexis is okay. Knowing that they are good, he increases his speed. He is gaining on Colin. His speed is now in excess of 120 MPH. He needs to get to Colin before he makes it to the BQE. If he doesn't he will never catch him. He gives it just a little more gas and finally he is right at Colin's rear bumper. The entrance ramp is to his left and he needs to stop him before he can get to it. A pit maneuver at this speed would more than likely get them all killed and with the speed they are moving at he has no choice to yield so Colin can take the ramp leading to the BQE without hitting anything. Traffic is lite when they both crest the top of the ramp and get out onto the highway. Colin increases his speed. Rick would have never thought that that piece of shit beat up truck would ever move that fast, but it does. Colin squeezes every ounce of horsepower out of the V-8 to escape. Once again Rick is at the back of the truck. Kate lowers her window with her gun drawn.

Rick quickly grabs her arm to stop her from firing on him. She would be in a world of hurt if she did hit him and he lost control of the truck. He thinks better of the outcome. He pulls out from behind the truck and speeds up alongside of Colin. As Rick gets even with him Colin turns slowly and as he does he raises his right hand. Colin has a very sinister look on his face, one that he hopes Rick will notice. Rick glances at him and then he knew he had lost the battle to this son of a bitch. He sees the little blinking green light at the top of the detonator. Knowing that his life is now going to end badly he hits the brakes on Kate's car hoping just to save his future bride and his daughter. Colin sees the look on Rick's face and that's when he depresses the button and the green blinking light turns to a solid red one.

The ensuing fireball that destroys the vehicle has strewn automotive parts and human body parts all over the 3 northbound lanes of the BQE (I-278) The destruction takes place right past the Kosciuszko Bridge. The sad thing is that if you were to look at the remains of what's left you'd never realize that it was a Ford at one time...

 **Epilogue to follow!**


	16. Epilouge

The start of the day is overcast and gloomy. The sounds from the pipe organ at St. Patrick's Cathedral are one every police officer in the country knows. Smitty, Juan and his girlfriend of 2 years, Dave and his wife, and Herman Baez and his wife sit at the front pew of the church. Across from the BDU team sits Captain Gates and her husband, Javier Esposito and his love Dr. Lanie Parish, Sitting next to her is Kevin Ryan and his wife Jenny and their daughter Sara Grace. Rick's mother rounds out the BDU unit side and then the observance starts.

Dave's wife as well as Captain Gates each take their respective spouses hands and interlock them together at their fingers. It's a moment they never want to forget. The priest at the head of the altar waits to speak as he looks down at the attendees. It's then when he looks at the massive doors open at the end of the church and his smile gets bigger by the second. There at the end of the aisle stands James Beckett and his daughter Katie. They wait for their cue and they are prompted to start walking down the aisle. Kate looks up to her father before they start their long trek.

"Katiebug are you ready?"

"Dad, I'm more than ready!"

As they slowly head towards the altar, Richard Rodgers and his daughter stand there watching the painfully slow walk to be by his side. Finally, as they reach the final step that leads her to the altar her dad uncovers the veil that keeps her pure. As he does so he leans in and gives a kiss to his daughter's cheek. Turning she gently squeezes his hand for support and he acknowledges it with a squeeze of his own. She ascends the last step and takes her place next to her soul mate and his daughter. The music comes to an end and the priest Father O'Connor starts his monolog.

"All stand"

The attendees all rise.

"My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church's priest and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.

Richard and Kathrine, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?

"We have." They both respond in unison.

Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?

"We will."

Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?

"We will."

Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church.

Rick takes Kate's hand and repeats after father O'Connor.

"I, Richard Alexander Rodgers, take you, Katherine Houghton Beckett, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."

Rick looks lovingly into her eyes and waits.

"I, Katherine Houghton Beckett, take you, Richard Alexander Rodgers, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."

Father O'Connor asks the couple the following questions:

"Richard, do you take Katherine to be your wife? Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honor her all the days of your life?"

"I do" Rick answers.

"Katherine, do you take Richard to be your husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life?"

"I do" Kate answers.

You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings.

What God has joined, men must not divide.

The attendees respond "Amen."

Lord, bless and consecrate Richard and Katherine in their love for each other.  
May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love. Through Christ our Lord.

Again the attendees respond with "Amen."

Rick takes the ring that Alexis hands him takes her hand and says the following:

"Kate, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Rick slips the ring on he finger and lowers her hand.

Kate looks to her dad who passes her Ricks ring and she says the following:

Rick, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The attendees respond one last time "Amen."

The priest looks at the both of them and makes the following statement.

By the power vested in me by the State of New York and the Catholic church I now pronounce Richard and Katherine husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.

Rick draws Kate into a loving soft kiss and it's a quick one because after all they have been through they deserve a party!

The priest happily announces...

"Now it's my pleasure to announce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rodgers!"

Kate takes Rick's hand and they make their way to the start of the receiving line and proceed to thank all of their guests. The reception follows shortly and then it's on a plane to their honeymoon in Hawaii for 5 days.

Rick thought he would he never see the day where he was free from Colin's grasp. It was funny if he thought about it, he knew Colin all to well. They had been friends for all of their childhood and he could anticipate his moves before he even thought of them. Colin, in the end, was predictable. This was his downfall.

 ** _Flashback..._**

As Rick looked at Kate and then to Colin through the window of her car he hit the brakes hard and they came to a stop. Rick know that there was going to be a hell of an explosion, but to Colin's surprise, it was not Kate's car that was destroyed. It was his own Ford pickup.

Rick had just finished the sweep of Kate's car for the bug and he noticed that the passenger side kick panel had come loose. He reached down to re-secure it and then that's when he noticed that it felt different, it did not feel like hard plastic. He carefully removed the panel and found the detonator embedded into it. Inspecting it closely he knew that it had been planted by Colin. Rick was fuming. The fact that he had replaced most of these panels with explosives got Rick to think. If he just saved one detonator from the kick panel he would find a new use for his newly acquired C-4. Retrieving the brick of C-4 from Smitty's car he molded the detonator into the brick and jumped back into Kate's car and headed to Colin's hideout. He could see that Colin was still at home and sneaking up along the bed of his truck he found the spare tire just lying in the bed. Raising it up quietly he placed the brick of C-4 under it. Moving back to her car he arrived at BDU headquarters and scanned the panels for detonators with the newest tool for detecting electrical components. Once he did it was not too hard to reprogram the detonators to a different frequency. Colin had used his own frequency sadly Rick knew what it was, it was his sisters birthday 8/22/73. Which was 82.273 MHz. Rick had effectively disabled the receiving transmitters in Kate's car and packed everything away. He then walked into Baez's house and started to bitch about how Colin had been tracking Kate with the tracer. He did not want to let on how Colin had essentially turned her car into a rolling land mine.

So when Rick looked over to Colin he knew that there was little time to react. The button was depressed and the explosion of the of C-4 had literally disintegrated his truck. Rick, Kate, and Alexis did not get away unscathed. Their car was overturned and ended up teetering on the front windshield and roof from the concussion of the detonation. Thankfully everyone was wearing seat belts and came out of the whole ordeal with just cuts and scrapes. Nothing time could not heal. Smitty actually downplayed his injuries. Colin had shot at him as he drove up behind him. It was a lucky shot and it went through the front windshield and caught him in the shoulder. He missed anything critical but he would need to be in a sling for about a month. Baez recovered from a mild concussion.

Rick was free, his past no longer ruling his life now. He had the woman of his dreams, his daughter was more than happy that they had found each other and Alexis now had a woman she could look up to for guidance and support. Suddenly Captain Gates starts clinking her glass with her fork.

"I need everyone's attention...Please."

The room quiets and Gates starts to speak. **"** Hello everyone! May I please have your attention for just a few brief, heartfelt moments as we toast the lovely bride and groom? And then, we eat cake!"

Everyone chuckles at her opening comment.

"To Kate and Rick, I've never met a more perfect couple, and I doubt I ever will. You bring out the best in each other... although, that is pretty easy to do. I wish you all the happiness moving forward. Congratulations"

There is a loud response from the room "HERE, HERE!" With glasses raised, they all acknowledge the Captains toast. Rick and Kate turn to face each other look lovingly into each others eyes and then embrace in a long and passionate kiss.

Fin.

Thank-You for everyone who has faved and been following this fic. It was one of my favorites to write. I hope everyone is pleased with the ending!

P2P


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